Materials Colloquium 2018: Efficient energy conversion and storage

The DLR Institute of Materials Research invites you to attend this year’s Materials Colloquium in Cologne.

Creating a sustainable energy supply is among the most crucial societal challenges of our age. Problems associated with climate change, such as this year’s extraordinarily hot summer, paint a disconcerting picture of things to come. The research community is therefore called upon to prioritise the development of safe, green and efficient concepts for safeguarding our energy supply. In this regard, it is necessary to consider the entire energy chain from production, conversion and storage through to utilisation. Especially within the framework of the Energy Transition, the issues surrounding a reliable energy supply are becoming increasingly complex. A solution that focuses on a single technology, such as nuclear power introduced in the 1970s, is inconceivable today. Instead, the requirements for research and innovation are increasingly diverse. Forward-looking approaches such as interdisciplinary connections between energy and transport, as well as digitalisation tools are becoming increasingly important. Such interactions present major opportunities, but also give rise to significant challenges. Accordingly, wide-ranging research projects are therefore a matter of necessity, in order to guarantee a reliable and sustainable energy supply for the future.

The development of new materials is pivotal within this framework. Important advances need to be made to increase efficiency and optimise current systems, as well as to carry out new and innovative projects. The Institute of Materials Research conducts extensive research into efficient energy conversion and storage, and thereby actively contributes to the success of the Energy Transition.

We would like to use this year’s Energy Colloquium to present to you our material and concept/system developments in the field of energy. In addition to showcasing research and development projects on a wide variety of  materials, there will also be opportunities to discuss the diversity of their potential uses.