Blog of Fraunhofer ISI

Dr. Meta Thurid Lotz heads the new cross-cutting topic of the circular economy at Fraunhofer ISI. In this blog, she answers three questions about her research and the topic’s importance at Fraunhofer ISI.

In the EU project BungEES, a project consortium developed service packages which help consumers to save energy and money by combining energy efficiency and load management. Fraunhofer ISI assisted in developing the business model through sound scientific analyses.

Electric mobility has long been visible on our roads and many scientists believe it is the powertrain of the future – but the public’s reactions to it are still mixed. When people are asked about the future prospects of different types of powertrains for cars, the main response is uncertainty, even though the majority assess the political support measures for electric mobility positively and interest in electric cars has risen again recently.

Current analyses by Fraunhofer ISI highlight the continuing advance of electric mobility. After a poor year in 2024, sales figures in Germany and other European countries recovered. Chinese manufacturers lead the way in terms of overall figures.

The global supply of essential raw materials for battery production is closely linked to geopolitical dependencies and the market dominance of individual global companies. The focus is particularly on market structures, geopolitical influences, production capacities and security of supply.

An Introduction to AI powered Automated Competency Analysis: How can you tell which innovative technology areas a company focuses on?

Support programs and strategies vary greatly in some cases when compared internationally. This blog post compares initiatives by leading industrial nations to promote electric mobility. Of particular interest are the different approaches taken by countries to support industry, which are categorized into three dimensions: market incentives, charging infrastructure, and the future of the combustion engine.

Universities and public research organizations (PROs) are a central source of innovation in Europe. Translating the knowledge generated at universities and PROs into market applications, however, often proves challenging. A key instrument for knowledge and technology transfer from research to industry is academic patents. Fraunhofer ISI has developed a new method to make these academic patents measurable, enabling a better understanding of technology transfer from universities and PROs.

Almost three quarters of industrial CO₂ emissions in the EU are generated during the production of process heat – a huge and largely untapped potential for decarbonisation. Technologies such as heat pumps and the direct electrification of industrial furnaces can replace the use of fossil fuels in industry. It is precisely this electrification of industry that the EU Commission is promoting in a new pilot auction with a budget of one billion euros. The auction rules (Terms and Conditions) have now been published. Fraunhofer ISI is closely involved in the design of the auction. With scientific evidence and extensive experience, we are supporting the development of an instrument that will enable funding to be used in the most straightforward, effective, cost-efficient and technology-neutral way possible.

How can approaches from the electricity sector help to master the challenges of water scarcity? Our interdisciplinary team has examined the potential of innovative solutions beyond sectoral boundaries. We show new perspectives that open up for the water sector.