"Alferov's readings" were timed to the birthday of the Nobel laureate academician Zhores Alferov. From 19 to 21 April 2018, three events were held on the theme of photovoltaics and solar energy. The events were organized by the German house of science and innovation (DWIH Moscow) together with the Fraunhofer ISE Institute, the non-Profit organization for solar energy development "Eurosolar", the . Krzyzanowski Institute and Academic University in St. Petersburg with the support of the German Embassy in Moscow and the Consulate General in St. Petersburg.
German experts from the Institute of solar energy systems Fraunhofer ISE and the Association of solar energy of Germany (VSW) were invited to the event. At a business breakfast with representatives of the business community and at a conference at the Krzyzanowski Institute of solar systems (ENIN) in Moscow on 19th of April, the head of photovoltaic systems Dr. Harry Wirth introduced the technology of solar systems of Fraunhofer (Fraunhofer ISE) and showed the methods of their implementation. Ulf Loze from the solar energy Association (BSW) presented a study of the conditions and framework "Enabling PV" for the application of solar technologies in different countries.
The third event was the conference in Saint-Petersburg academic University — scientific-educational center of nanotechnologies of the Russian Academy of Science, where were discussed the issues of implementation of solar energy technologies in Russia and Germany, and the Russian and German programs of financing of joint projects.
The conference program was devoted to the theme "Development of joint projects in the field of solar energy between Russian and German research centers". And the meeting opened with a video message of academician Zhores Alferov to the participants.
The main report at the readings was made by the Director of the Division of solar power plants and modules of Fraunhofer Institute of solar energy systems Dr. Harry Wirth (Freiburg). The center, founded in 1981, is currently developing in all sectors of solar energy, including materials science, component base, operation and network connectivity. The report of the German scientist was devoted to the most important and effective developments and applied solutions, which are also of great interest for Russia.
The conference presented opportunities for cooperation between Academic institutions of Russia and Germany with the support of the German house of science and innovation (DWIH ) in Moscow. On behalf of the Academic University, the Vice-rector for science, member of RAS Alexey Zhukov and head of the renewable energy laboratory Ivan Mukhin spoke, in particular, about the ongoing research in the field of solar energy in this laboratory. Many young scientists are working in this direction.
As noted at the meeting, the importance of joint work in the field of solar energy is due to the formation in the Russian Federation of the industrial market of solar power plants. It is obvious that the further development of renewable energy projects in Russia will take place under a scenario similar to the rapid development of this industry all over the world. This idea, in particular, came in the speeches of the head of the laboratory of photovoltaic converters of the Ioffe Institute of Physics and Technology, corresponding member of the RAS Vyacheslav Andreev and Deputy Director General of the NTC TPT for scientific work of the Hevel group Yevgeny Terukov, who believes that silicon technologies will remain the most effective of the existing commercial methods of obtaining solar energy for a long time. The result of the seminar at our request was summed up by its moderator - Chairman of the Board of "EUROSOLAR Russia" George Kekelidze.
- MR. KEKELIDZE WHAT IS, IN YOUR OPINION, THE MAIN RESULT OF THE READINGS?
- We are glad that we could hold such an interesting for the audience event in such a short time. Those are the first applied readings of Zhores Alferov. We gave him such a gift. The most important thing is that we managed to unite several communities in discussions. We held these meetings separately. The first was made in Moscow with the banking community - the initiators of projects on investments in solar energy. Then there was a very interesting seminar at the Krzhizhanovsky Energy Institute, where the industry gathered and discussed the prospects for the inclusion of solar energy in the network complex of the Russian Federation. And third, today we have gathered with the scientific community inside of St. Petersburg Academic University.
- WHAT ISSUE FROM THE REPORTS WOULD CALL A FUNDAMENTAL? WHAT WOULD YOU HIGHLIGHT?
- The main issue, not only in the solar energy sector, but also in the whole Russian science, is to give it an applied character. That means, we need to preserve what has not been destroyed over the past twenty years, to preserve the schools that exist. Here, in St. Petersburg, of course, there is the Alferov School, which runs through the LETI, through the Ioffe Institute, now through the Academic University. This is a very large complex of semiconductor physics - in heterostructures, in solar energy, in microelectronics, etc. And so our main task, as we see it in the framework of the non-profit partnership "EUROSOLAR Russia" under the leadership of Jores Ivanovich, is to carry out work in the form of an interface between science and production, that is, to find those enterprises in Russia that are interested in certain technological solutions - on the one hand, and on the second - is to find technologies that are most acceptable to them in the West, and to find centers that are ready to accept these technologies and develop research centers in Russia. It is the unification of such international scientific cooperation for application that is our main goal.
- ARE THERE ANY NOTICEABLE CHANGES?
- We have made some progress, there are a number of projects launched. We can say that in this regard we are functioning as an innovation or technology agency. But the essence, as we are taught by Zhores Alferov, is that it is always necessary to develop international cooperation. Without it in science, and nowadays also in the applied plan, it is impossible to make anything. Now we have a big project that we are working on. It concerns the use of the power system in isolated remote areas of the Russian Federation. We hope that this project will give a start to new developments in energy storage, which we will soon see implemented in the Russian fields.
- ARE THE GERMAN COLLEAGUES INVOLVED IN THIS WORK?
- German colleagues will play a very important role, because the Fraunhofer Institute, which was the key for today's applied readings, has a huge amount of technology. It is very interesting that over the past 20 years, these technologies have also increased at the expense of those Russian scientists who went there. For example, today we were addressed by corresponding member of RAS Andreev, who, in fact, created a school in Fraunhofer Institute, while he has been in St. Petersburg Physics University at the same time. And now we clearly see the need to combine efforts and joint projects between Germany and Russia.
Source: St. Petersburg Academic University