Research Group: Electrochemical Energy Conversion
The necessary transition to renewable energies such as solar, hydro or wind power requires new solutions of the underlying fundamental scientific and technological problems. A key feature in this context is the storage of renewable energies, which are in principal abundant but subjected to strong fluctuations. Electrochemical processes, due to their fast dynamics and modular nature, are excellent candidates for the use of excess current.
However, most of the electrochemical processes that would be suitable for these new challenges are not yet technically mature. In this respect Electrochemical Energy Conversion (EEC) group focuses on understanding of existing process limitations as well as on development of new electrochemical processes and diagnostic methods. Our special focus is on dynamics of electrochemical processes and on bioelectrochemical processes.
Furthermore, EEC group works on conceptually new process designs. In this respect we extend toolboxes of (bio)electrochemistry by synthetic biology. By following a bottom up approach of the synthetic biology our motivation in our project area electrochemistry meets synthetic biology is to design and reconstitute energy conversion infrastructure of an artificial cell.