ZENTRUM FUR SONNENENERGIE- UND WASSERSTOFF-FORSCHUNG BADEN-WURTTEMBERG

Their core work

ZSW is a leading German applied research centre specializing in solar energy, hydrogen technologies, and electrochemical energy storage — the three pillars of the energy transition. They develop advanced thin-film photovoltaics (CIGS, perovskite tandems, kesterites), next-generation lithium-ion batteries with silicon anodes and solid-state chemistries, and PEM fuel cell components. Their work spans the full chain from materials characterization and cell design through module prototyping and testing, making them a bridge between fundamental research and industrial-scale production.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2015–2018), ZSW focused heavily on thin-film solar cell efficiency (CIGS, kesterites) and high-voltage lithium-ion batteries with silicon anodes — core materials science work. From 2019 onward, the portfolio shifted strongly toward hydrogen and fuel cell technologies (HYDRAITE, ID-FAST, GAIA, DOLPHIN, MultHyFuel) while battery work evolved from cell chemistry toward system-level concerns like modular packs, thermal management, and grid integration. The photovoltaics thread continued but moved to perovskite-chalcogenide tandems, tracking the broader industry pivot toward multi-junction architectures.

ZSW is moving from component-level materials research toward integrated hydrogen and battery systems, positioning them for applied electromobility and grid-scale storage partnerships.

How they like to work

ZSW operates almost exclusively as a specialist partner (14 of 15 projects), contributing deep technical know-how rather than leading consortium management. With 148 unique partners across 24 countries, they maintain a very broad network — they are not locked into repeat partnerships but rather bring portable expertise to diverse consortia. This makes them easy to integrate into new projects: they know how European consortia work and adapt well to different project cultures.

ZSW has collaborated with 148 unique partners across 24 countries, giving them one of the broader networks among German energy research centres. Their reach is pan-European with no obvious geographic bias, spanning both Western European industrial partners and Eastern European research institutions.

What sets them apart

ZSW is rare in covering all three pillars of the energy transition — solar, batteries, and hydrogen — within a single institution, which allows them to work on integrated energy systems that most labs cannot address alone. Based in Baden-Württemberg, Germany's automotive and manufacturing heartland, they have direct connections to the industrial ecosystem that turns lab-scale innovations into products. Their combination of materials-level expertise and systems-level integration capability makes them particularly valuable for projects that need to bridge the gap between chemistry breakthroughs and real-world energy applications.

Highlights from their portfolio

• Sharc25
  ZSW's only coordinator role in H2020, targeting a world-record 25% efficiency for CIGS thin-film solar cells — a flagship ambition for the institute.
• FIVEVB
  Largest single EC contribution (EUR 1.5M), developing 5V lithium-ion batteries with silicon anodes for next-generation electric vehicles.
• DOLPHIN
  Ambitious fuel cell stack redesign using graphene coatings, thin membranes, and carbon bipolar plates — represents ZSW's push into disruptive fuel cell architectures.