Energy

En­er­gy re­search at DLR

DLR develops concepts and solutions for implementing the global energy transition and makes scientific and technological contributions by developing climate-neutral, efficient, cost-efficient, reliable and socially accepted cutting-edge technologies for the use, conversion and storage of renewable energies. The aim is to investigate the most efficient and cost-effective interplay between individual components and technologies – both for isolated processes and in the overall system. With its large-scale research facilities, DLR serves as the link for the transfer from research to industrial application.

Pro­gramme and strat­e­gy

The energy system of the future must be sustainable. In other words, climate-impacting emissions, the risk of accidents and negative effects on the environment must be minimised as far as possible. At the same time, efficient methods for generating, using, converting and storing energy are necessary in order to ensure that energy can be provided economically, reliably and in a socially accepted way.

Research infrastructure

Establishing and operating large-scale research facilities is one of DLR's statutory tasks. They form the backbone of research in space, energy, transport, security and digitalisation. The facilities are used across institutes and programmes at DLR and made available to partner organisations from science and industry.

Featured topic

Hy­dro­gen – the en­er­gy source of the fu­ture

An economy without greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 – this is Europe’s declared, 30-year goal for halting climate change. Renewable energies are expected to replace fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas. Hydrogen will play an important role in the sustainable transformation of the energy supply system.

Energy research areas

Alternative fuels

Decarbonised industrial processes

Energy converter gas turbine

Energy storage – heat and electricity

En­er­gy sys­tems anal­y­sis

En­er­gy sys­tem tech­nolo­gies

Fuel cells and electrolysis

Mar­itime en­er­gy sys­tems

Solar energy

Wind energy

Projects

April 28, 2022

Salt makes solar thermal power more cost-effective

Solar thermal power plants use concentrated sunlight to first generate heat and then electricity. They are already in use today in particularly sunny regions, such as Spain, the USA or Chile.

March 30, 2022

DLR and ZSW plan new test and innovation centre for water electrolysis

The German Aerospace Center and the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) are planning to establish a test and innovation centre for water electrolysis. The two institutions recently signed a memorandum to this effect.

News

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Multimedia

The largest artificial Sun in the world
Synlight consists of a total of 149 high-power light sources, each of which is a seven-kilowatt xenon short-arc lamp, as used in cinema projectors. Each source can be individually controlled, which allows various configurations and temperatures in the focal point – even in three simultaneous experiments.
Image: 1/12, Credit:

Markus Hauschild.

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Thermobattery TESIS
With TESIS, DLR is providing a test facility with which storage technologies can be developed on an application-oriented and industrial scale.
Image: 2/12, Credit:
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Flameless combustion
Nitrogen oxides play an unpleasant role during the combustion of fossil fuels. They are responsible for acid rain and are also harmful to the respiratory tract. DLR researchers have been able to demonstrate that the principle of flameless combustion (‘FLOX®’, or FLameless OXidation) in typical gas turbine conditions promises reliable combustion in power plants with low nitrogen oxides emissions.
Image: 12/12, Credit:
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Links

Institutes and facilities

DLR has been working on energy research and making important contributions to a sustainable energy system since the mid-1970s. Multidisciplinary teams with access to the unique test facilities and extensive computing capabilities of a major research institution are working on various key issues. DLR has adopted a nationally and sometimes internationally leading role in many of these areas.

Jobs and careers

Whether you are a sci­en­tist, en­gi­neer, tech­ni­cian or are look­ing to take up an ap­pren­tice­ship - DLR of­fers ex­cit­ing ca­reer op­por­tu­ni­ties for a wide range of tal­ents. Take a look at all our va­can­cies and find in­for­ma­tion about get­ting start­ed.

Downloads

Brochure: Hydrogen research at DLR (2021)

2.9 MB | PDF

DLR Wind Energy Research

3.6 MB | PDF