Institut für Solarenergieforschung (ISFH)

The ISFH is a research institute of the state of Lower Saxony with the legal status of a non-profit organization. It is an affiliated institute of the “Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover” and undertakes also joint projects with other universities and technical colleges in Lower Saxony and other German states. The director of the ISFH is Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Rolf Brendel, who is also a university professor in the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at the Leibniz Universität Hannover. Prof. Brendel also heads the Solar Energy Department at the Institute for Solid State Physics.
Together with our industrial partners and our students, working on their seminar papers, diplomas or Ph.D.-theses, we encourage solar energy utilization through research and innovation. Innovative components and systems for photovoltaic and solar thermal utilization of solar energy are developed here.
The ISFH is made up of the “Photovoltaics”, “Solar systems” and “Scientific Services” departments. Photovoltaic research includes the basic study of material properties as well as the development of processes and equipment for manufacturing solar cells. The most important aim of photovoltaic research is the development of silicon solar cells with the accompanying module technology for efficiencies of above 20%. Above all, the aim is to reduce production costs for solar modules.
The main focus of the solar systems department is the integrated total energy supply for heat and electricity in local units like buildings and urban settlements. The objective is a cost-efficient and CO2 reduced energy supply in high quality systems. For this purpose ISFH develops, evaluates and optimizes amongst others new solar thermal collectors, functional coatings and heat storage concepts as well as new applications and combinations of energy systems.