The Energy Storage Research Centre is active in numerous projects with partners from industry and other universities around the world and is part of a wide network.
The SIP Biel/Bienne, which is home to the Energy Storage Research Centre and other innovative companies, is the perfect partner for implementing research outcomes into practice. SIP Biel/Bienne is one of the five locations selected for the national Switzerland Innovation project.
Bern University of Applied Sciences’ engagement with the Swiss Competence Centers for Energy Research (SCCER) ‘Storage’, ‘Mobility’ and ‘Grids’ brings substantial benefits to the centre. This collaboration ensures access to key national and international research networks in energy storage and its applications, which is particularly advantageous for external partners of the Energy Storage Research Centre.
The Lithium-Ion Battery Competence Network (KLiB) counts among its members leading international industrial companies and practice-oriented research institutes. The competence network focuses on all topics relating to lithium-ion batteries. To facilitate knowledge transfer and cultivate international contacts, the Energy Storage Research Centre joined the KLiB in spring 2017.
The collaboration between the Institute of Dongguan at Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) in China and the Energy Storage Research Centre focuses on co-developing a hardware-in-the-loop BMS tester, located at the BFH Centre. The BMS-HIL testing and development platform tackles the challenges most commonly encountered when designing a BMS for the automobile and energy storage industry. This collaboration offers insights into the demands placed on BMS technology at an industrial level.
The characterisation and modelling of electrochemical storage devices is key to their successful implementation. There''s also a need for complete battery and energy systems to be developed and tested. Among other things, this involves identifying the optimal parameters for integrating electrochemical storage technology into a wide range of applications. A variety of test and characterisation methods are also used.
Battery and energy management systems (BMS and EMS) ensure that electrical storage systems operate safely and correctly.
Our specialised researchers develop efficient, reliable software and hardware for these systems. To this end, they develop, test and validate model-based software algorithms and individual hardware for a wide range of battery applications.
The efficient production of batteries is one of the key technologies required to achieve the objectives of the energy transition. Our production technology experts optimise the production process as well as developing more efficient and robust machines.
For this technology to establish itself, new methods must offer significantly improved production efficiency, with a finished battery cell rolling off the production line every 30 seconds. These production methods are a prerequisite for the mass production of top-quality batteries with high performance density.
We make our expertise available directly to the Swiss mechanical engineering industry and battery manufacturers for the set-up and optimisation of production plants.
We have broad expertise on how to design and operate hydrogen-based energy systems with fuel cells, H2 storage and electrolysers in a safe and efficient way. We focus on the technology of polymer electrolyte membranes (PEM).
The use of our fuel cell system has been demonstrated in numerous projects for mobile applications.We develop and build fuel cells according to our own, awarded concept IHPoS (Independent Hydrogen Power System). We assemble a cost-optimized gas distribution system and integrate the fuel cells in a space-saving manner, taking heat flows into account. Our in-depth know-how on how to start, operate and shut down fuel cells is based on long-term experience and extensive field tests. Numerous functionalities in the management systems ensure the optimal integration of the fuel cells into complex energy systems.
We measure and model power grids for the assessment of the stationary and dynamic behaviour as well as for the analysis of the power quality. Increasing fluctuations in power generation and consumption require an in-depth knowledge of the phenomena in the power grids.
With our modern measuring equipment, we perform extensive measurement campaigns together with our partners, in particular distribution system operators and power plants. With the information gathered, we are able to build and validate exact models of these power grids. By means of simulations, the effects of the spread of new technologies such as decentralized production and storage as well as local control systems can be analysed in advance.
From the results we derive recommendations on how power grids can be better utilised, operated more efficiently or strengthened as cost-effectively as possible while maintaining the high quality of the power supply.
In the Prosumer Lab, modern prosumer households are simulated in the laboratory in order to test system components in the house network realistically and reproducibly.
Our photovoltaic systems laboratory at BFH Burgdorf has been researching PV system technology for 30 years. Photovoltaics (PV) is the most important new energy source within the framework of Switzerland''s Energy Strategy 2050. Our areas of expertise are as follows:
Swiss industry and operators can access our extensive testing laboratory, PV systems and one of Switzerland''s only high voltage testing laboratories to take measurements and for other development projects. We offer assistance with analysis, consultations, studies, presentations and training.
The lack of high-performance, efficient energy storage devices is the biggest challenge to the adoption of mass electric transit. To date, the limitations on storing electrical energy remain the biggest obstacle facing mobile applications. Despite this, chemical energy storage in many cases offers economic solutions, as long as the battery''s design is appropriate for its intended purpose. With our wide-ranging expertise in batteries, we make a vital contribution to the design of efficient energy storage devices for applications in industrial mobility. Our research enables us to electrify vehicles in line with current regulations and standards.
As specialists in company and ecosystem development and IT-based management, we create models and simulations of complex political and economic scenarios for our clients. We also design management systems for energy storage and energy management. Companies benefit when they recognise the complexity of our innovation ecosystem early on and take a targeted approach to influencing it.
Working together with public and private sector clients, we define guidelines for setting and achieving strategic objective goals. We also explore issues relating to the protection of the private sphere in ''smart energy distribution networks''. The protection of communication and management infrastructures through IT-based processes is another important area of activity.
Our IT specialists design digital command and control systems for energy storage and energy management at municipal level. In addition, questions concerning the protection of the individual's privacy in "smart" energy distribution networks and the security of communication and management infrastructures through information technology processes must be addressed. Finally, the control and analysis creating enormous amounts of data in the energy sector, as well as the development of software applications based on these data are a promising area of competence for the BFH.
‘Swiss Trolley plus’ is a lighthouse project sponsored by the Swiss Office of Energy, the aim of which is the manufacture of a fully electric, Swiss-made vehicle with sustainable components and controls. With its high-performance traction battery, it can also be operated without overhead cables. Thanks to regenerative braking, the ‘Swiss Trolley plus’ can also generate energy savings of up to 15 per cent, making trolley bus lines more cost-efficient, more reliable and more flexible to run.
Gemeinsam mit verschiedenen Partnern hat sich das Zentrum Energiespeicherung zum Ziel gesetzt, das grösste elektrisch angetriebene Fahrzeug bis Anfang 2017 zu planen und konzipieren und dieses bis im Spätsommer 2017 zu bauen. Das Zentrum Energiespeicherung befasst sich mit der elektrischen und thermischen Charakterisierung der zum Einsatz kommenden Batterie sowie mit Energiemessungen und -modellierungsarbeiten am Fahrzeug.
The Prosumer Lab project is a pilot and demonstration project financed by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (BFE) and BKW Energie AG. At the forefront of the project is a test facility set up in the Energy Storage Research Centre’s laboratory, where the flow of electric energy to a house or apartment block with photovoltaics and storage devices can be analysed in reproducible simulations. During these simulations, system components such as energy managers, inverters and battery storage devices are compared and tested.
By integrating decentralised feed-in and storage, the capacity of network grids can be increased. Network-side measures have differing effects on network usage, availability and power quality (PQ). The latter, in particular, is strongly influenced by the increased use of power electronics and the change in frequency-related impedance. Using measurements and simulations, these basic principles are explored to generate recommendations and tools for facilitating network planning.
The team around evolaris aviation, a BFH spin-off, aims to develop and commercialise high-tech electric drive systems for single-engine aircraft. Switzerland’s reputation for reliability and precision will play an important role, especially when designing the new drive concept. The development of the high-performance electric motor and electric system, battery, energy manager, battery charger, etc. represents the first step in this direction. Votec evolaris from MSW Aviation was used to identify the most appropriate test aircraft for the project.
Energy storage systems play an important role in ensuring that the energy supply meets the energy demand at all times. In the transition to a society based on renewable energy sources, which have a fluctuated and unpredictable production, storage technologies are fundamental for smoothing out the energy supply and for time shifting between energy production and consumption and ensuring that the supply of energy matches the demand.
The Thermal Storage research group won the Watt d''Or in the "Energy Technologies" category for its project on energy-efficient air conditioning of a greenhouse. All information on the prestigious award from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, pictures and videos can be found here.
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