Prime Minister Daniel Günther approves funding for EUR 3.2M for construction of Research Center for Applied Battery Technology Schleswig-Holstein (FAB-SH).
The handing over of the funding decision by Minister-President Daniel Günther in Itzehoe is the official prelude to the establishment of the Research Center for Applied Battery Technology Schleswig-Holstein (FAB-SH). The research center will be built in a former logistics building in the immediate vicinity of Fraunhofer ISIT.
From 2023, around 30 employees will be working on 3400 m² of laboratory and office space, including the further development of battery storage systems for maritime, stationary or medical technology applications.
Another research focus is the development of new production technologies for battery storage systems. Architects and planners are currently being commissioned for the building conversion.
The funding decision of the state of 3.2 million euros applies to the first project phase, the purchase of the building. Preparations for the second project funding, the conversion and equipment of the building, are already underway. The state had already pledged further funding of 2.3 million euros.
Daniel Günther President praised the project and said:
Schleswig-Holstein is finally moving into the first league of battery research.
“For our ambitions as a pioneer of the energy transition, it is only logical to also have excellent battery research and industry in the country. With this new research center, ISIT will be the driving force. It will produce important innovations and bring a lot of know-how to the country.”
“Itzehoe will thus become even more visible, even more important, and even more powerful as a location for innovative storage technology.”
In addition to the state, the city of Itzehoe, the district of Steinburg, the federal government and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft are also participating in the financing of the project.
The FAB-SH is expected to create around 30 jobs for highly qualified employees such as scientists and engineers as well as for technical personnel with a training background, such as chemical, technical assistants, mechanics or electronics technicians. In addition, there are up to 20 students.
The establishment of the research center had become necessary because Fraunhofer ISIT has been able to acquire numerous development projects on energy storage topics in recent years and the laboratory and office space is already fully utilized.
In addition, parts of the plant technology at Fraunhofer ISIT must be modernized in order to be able to handle the new projects adequately.
The FAB-SH strives for a prominent position in the national and international research competition. The basis for this already exists at ISIT. With the dry coating of electrodes and ISIT’s own separator technology, production processes have been developed and patented that represent a unique position of ISIT.
In the field of cell technology, ISIT can refer, among other things, to the development of high-performance cells and high-temperature accumulators, whose performance is at the peak of the current cell generation.
The planned research center will enable an accelerated and optimized industrialization of these and other battery technologies.
Dr. Andreas Würsig, the future head of FAB-SH:
A large number of institutions and companies in Schleswig-Holstein deal with aspects of energy storage technology.
“We will have laboratories ready for them to carry out joint projects with them at the Itzehoe site.”
The starting point for the idea of the FAB-SH was Schleswig-Holstein’s application for the research production of battery cells (FFB) in recent years, which was coordinated by Fraunhofer ISIT. It has brought about lasting success for the country.
Even though Münster was ultimately awarded the contract in 2019, Schleswig-Holstein and above all Fraunhofer ISIT were able to record a big win with the application.
Prof. Axel Müller-Groeling, ISIT Director said:
The state has identified and efficiently bundled its competencies in the field of storage technologies, so that excellent conditions have also been created for other projects such as the FAB-SH.
The topic portfolio of the FAB-SH is complementary to the activities in Münster, and the scientists will work constructively with the FFB in Münster.
In the long term, the FAB-SH initiators hope that the research center, together with existing companies in the field of battery cell production such as CUSTOMCELLS or Alzner Battery, will form the core of an energy storage innovation park in Itzehoe.
READ the latest Batteries News shaping the battery market
Minister-President Daniel Günther hands over funding decision for 3.2 million euros for the construction of the research center in Itzehoe, February 17, 2022
