Bayreuth creates future for Bavaria

- Science Minister Kiechle has opened the Bavarian Center for Battery Technology -

The next generation of safe, intelligent and sustainable energy storage is coming out of Bayreuth in the near future: In September 2018, the Bavarian Minister of Science, Prof. Dr. Ing. med. Marion Kiechle, the new Bavarian Center for Battery Technology (BayBatt) at the University of Bayreuth. In the next five years, the Free State will invest 25 million euros in building the BayBatt and, when completed, will create 114 new jobs, including 12 professorships. This goes back to a government statement by Prime Minister Markus Söder: "Electromobility is the future. Unfortunately, Germany has fallen behind in battery technology. That's why we set up a research and development center for battery technology at the University of Bayreuth."

This Söder announced on 18 April 2018 in his policy statement. In just under six months, the Bayreuth scientists have created the framework for this major task, on September 4, 2018, the Cabinet decided to finance the BayBatt, on September 6, 2018, Science Minister Prof. Dr. med. med. Marion Kiechle opens the Bavarian Center for Battery Technology at the University of Bayreuth. "The foundation of BayBatt is the consistent scientific and economic policy response to current and future energy and mobility issues - a flagship project for the Upper Franconia region in the scientific field of battery research and development," said the Minister.

BayBatt builds a bridge between research and application

As part of a five-year plan, the state government plans to invest EUR 25 million in the development of the BayBatt and, when completed, create 114 new jobs at the University of Bayreuth, including twelve professorships. "BayBatt is intended to build bridges between battery material research institutions on the one hand and the engineering departments and research institutes of major automotive and equipment manufacturers working on the complete systems on the other. In addition, the working groups involved in battery technology are networked with the relevant industry in a variety of collaborative projects or industrial contracts, which ensures swift transfer of the results to practice, "Minister Kiechle explained on the occasion of the opening of BayBatt.

"With its current competencies, the University of Bayreuth is already excellently positioned in the field of storage technologies and thus predestined for this new center," explained Chancellor Markus Zanner on the opening day and added: "Thanks to the decision of the Bavarian State Government, we now have the opportunity to bundle and massively expand these strengths." Currently, about 20 groups are working on relevant topics across disciplines and faculties. These activities are to be bundled in the new Bavarian Center for Battery Technology (BayBatt), supplemented by the new professorships and working groups.

Unique in Germany: focus on the entire value chain of batteries

The Bavarian Center for Battery Technology will - uniquely in Germany - devote itself to research and teaching throughout the entire value chain of batteries, from materials to intelligent systems and networked storage through to battery safety. Scientists from four Bayreuth faculties are involved in the BayBatt: Physics (Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science), Chemistry (Faculty of Chemistry, Biology and Earth Sciences), Business Informatics (Faculty of Law and Economics) and Engineering (Faculty of Engineering).

"With this interdisciplinary approach, the University of Bayreuth overcomes the separation of disciplines that has been characteristic of the German research landscape so far," reports Prof. Dr.-Ing. Michael Danzer, Chair of Electrical Energy Systems and Head of BayBatt. He explains, "There are research facilities on battery materials on the one hand, and engineering colleges at universities on the other, as well as industrial research facilities focusing on complete energy systems (automobiles, etc.). In Bayreuth, however, the new Bavarian Center for Battery Technology will conduct interdisciplinary research and development at the interfaces of materials science, electrochemistry, engineering, information technology and economics.

New Bachelor and Master, Battery Technology & Battery Systems Technology '

The center has four scientific priorities: safe high-performance materials, interfacial phenomena and transport processes, intelligent batteries and networked battery storage. An important aspect here is the information technology and economic embedding of networked battery storage in complete energy systems.

A bachelor's and master's program, battery technology and battery system technology are to be developed for young scientists. In addition, the campus academy is to develop a scientific advanced training offer 'battery technology' for those interested in natural science or engineering science. In addition, Chancellor Dr. Zanner: "The aim is to create an 'innovation ecosystem' in the field of battery research and development." Therefore, the new center wants to promote technology transfer as well as industrial contacts in its various fields of work and support new business models, start-ups and spin-offs.

CONTACT:

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Michael Danzer
Lehrstuhlinhaber Elektrische Energiesysteme
Leiter des BayBatt
Universität Bayreuth
Ludwig-Thoma-Straße 36a
95447 Bayreuth

Telefon: 0921 / 55-4610
E-Mail: danzer@uni-bayreuth.de

www.ees.uni-bayreuth.de