Within the Bavarian research network “Solar Technologies go hybrid” (in short “SolTech), KeyLabs at the universities of Bayreuth, Erlangen, Würzburg, and the two Munich universities LMU and TUM combine their respective specific expertise in materials and processes for "solar energy conversion". The network is generously funded by the Free State of Bavaria and supports in particular young scientists and students toward a future career as proven experts in the field of energy research, especially to local industry. Following evaluations in 2016 and 2021, the SolTech network is now in its third funding period of cooperative research efforts.

As in previous years, an international SolTech conference was held. As the lead university, this time JMU Würzburg was responsible for hosting the 12th SolTech Conference. With 115 participants, the conference took place from October 3 to October 5 at the Hotel Melchior Park in Würzburg. Not only scientists from the five participating KeyLabs attended, but also high-profile speakers from abroad and from the industry.

The speakers this year were:

Vincent Artero, Université Grenoble Alpes

Marco Bosch, BASF SE Ludwigshafen

Lin X. Chen, Northwestern University

Paola Ceroni, Università di Bologna

Christoph Kowitz, Wacker Chemie AG München

Bettina V. Lotsch, MPI für Festkörperforschung Stuttgart

Johannes Margraf, Fritz-Haber-Institut Berlin

Gerald J. Meyer, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Elena Selli, Università degli Studi di Milano
 

In addition to the scientific talks by the KeyNote speakers and selected presentations by scientists from the five participating universities, two poster sessions were held Tuesday and Wednesday.  These poster sessions served the purpose of promoting an intensive exchange of scientific and technological ideas between the students of the KeyLabs. At the end of the conference, the best poster of each session was awarded a poster prize. These prizes were sponsored by Solar RRL and Advanced Energy Materials.

The extensive work of the organizing team consisting of Tilman Schneider, Jessica Rühe, Michael Moos, Menyhárt Sárosi and Sarah Bullnheimer was greatly appreciated.

By S. Bullnheimer