WISDOM4E - Knowledge-based design of complex materials and systems for sustainable electrochemical energy storage and conversion

Funding: concept phase BMBF initiative „Clusters 4 Future“

Project duration: 05/2020 – 10/2020

Project partners:

• Prof. Dr. Jutta Geldermann, Chair of Business Administration and Production Management, University of Duisburg-Essen
• Prof. Dr. Christof Schulz, Faculty of Engineering, University of Duisburg-Essen
• Prof. Dr. Angelika Heinzel, ZBT - Zentrum für BrennstoffzellenTechnik GmbH, Duisburg
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alfred Ludwig, Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr-University Bochum
• Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schuhmann, Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr-University Bochum

The supply of sustainable energy is a central global challenge in the light of which a shift towards renewable electricity is beyond question. This requires efficient energy storage and conversion on all time, power and energy scales. Regeneratively produced hydrogen, the material use of CO2 and efficient batteries are elementary building blocks in this context and must be developed jointly and not in competition with each other. Electrochemical processes and novel functional materials are the key to innovation. The aim of WISDOM4E is therefore to develop new functional materials from available raw materials, to maximize the performance of electrode structures and to optimize the complex interactions between the system components as well as to accelerate the scaling of the central technologies to industrial scale. Since these aspects have been considered in isolation so far, integration along the innovation cycle is missing. On the other hand, an accelerated translation of promising research results into innovative products can only be achieved through the coordinated use of synergies of all underlying cross-sectional technologies and the creation of the necessary social, political and legal framework conditions. Achieving this through a transdisciplinary package of measures is the central goal of WISDOM4E. In three interlinked lines of development (hydrogen, CO2 reduction, batteries), the existing knowledge is integrated into applicable, innovative systems and transferred to technology transfer in application.

Within the project consortium, the Chair of ABWL and Production Management is responsible for the techno-economic evaluation of production processes by applying methods of multi-objective decision support and life-cycle assessment for the systematic analysis of the environmental impacts of products during the entire life cycle and within complex supply chain networks.

Press release of BMBF 05.02.2020: https://www.bmbf.de/de/das-sind-die-finalisten-im-wettbewerb-um-die-innovationsnetzwerke-der-zukunft-10796.html

Press release of UDE 27.02.2020: https://www.uni-due.de/2020-02-27-materialien-fuer-gruene-technologien