01 TOMORROWTODAY QUARTERLY 2014
Developing the technologies, methods and tools of tomorrow
Full Power Ahead Battery research for e-mobility
ENERGY
NEW BUSINESS UNIT: „PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS“ HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS ON CHINA
SAFETY & SECURITY
SENSOR NETWORKS FOR A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT AIT STRATEGY
THINKING IN MAJOR SYSTEMS
32_ICv2 14.12.11 14:30 Seite 32
THE BEST WAY TO PREDICT THE FUTURE IS TO SHAPE IT. If your company is looking for cutting edge innovations, then AIT Austrian Institute of Technology is your partner of choice. Because in our institute the most acute minds in Europe are working today on tomorrow’s tools and technologies, laying the ground for the solutions the future demands. Learn more about the future by visiting www.ait.ac.at
ARC_10001_200x280_derbesteweg_QTR_4c.indd 1 ARC_10001_841x1189_PLAK_thebestway_A0.indd 1
18.01.2011 12:37:47 Uhr 25.02.2010 13:47:47 Uhr
➜ CONTENT/EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL MAJOR SYSTEMS
04
ALPBACH TECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM 2014
08
The Programme and Working Groups
AIT & LONG NIGHT OF RESEARCH
10
AIT opened its lab doors to the interested public.
KNOW-HOW FOR THE SOLAR POWERED FUTURE
14
The newly established Business Unit for Photovoltaic Systems is focusing on the challenges for this key technology.
SENSOR NETWORKS PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT
18
The openUWEDAT system enables the gathering and evaluation of environmental data from sensor networks.
CHINA FOCUS TO BENEFIT THE ENVIRONMENT
22
Pollution levels in China are higher than ever before. AIT expertise is being applied in sustainable environmental projects in China.
FUTURE DISCUSSIONS AT THE SCIENCE CAFÉ
26
The AIT Innovation Systems Department invited representatives from the worlds of science, administration and business to the Future Science Café.
E-MOBILITY RELOADED
30
AIT is working on research into next generation batteries for electric mobility in cooperation with industry.
INNOVATION CALENDAR
34
SCIENTIFIC PAPERS
35
Photo: www.peterrigaud.com
AIT is realigning its strategy
European countries are aiming high when it comes to e-mobility. Germany plans to have a million electric vehicles on its roads by 2020, and Austria 250,000. Yet several obstacles have to be overcome on the path to realising this ambitious electric mobility future. One of the biggest challenges is efficient energy storage: although batteries have hugely improved in terms of range, charging times and costs, much still remains to be done to shift performance to a whole new level. Over the past years the AIT Mobility Department has accumulated wide ranging know-how in the field of battery research, and is already working together with industrial partners on the next generation of energy storage systems. They promise to be more powerful and less expensive. But read about this for yourself, on page 30. The broad range of expertise that AIT has built up over the past years as an innovative research provider will be used even more effectively in the future. In its new strategy phase, running from 2014 to 2017, AIT will position itself as a systems provider, capable of supporting research into Urban Systems (including e-mobility), Smart Grids and Ambient Assisted Living, right through from the initial idea through to implementation and evaluation. You'll find out more about what this new strategy means in more detail in this issue of TomorrowToday on page 4.
Wishing you a good read! Michael H. Hlava Head of Corporate and Marketing Communications PS.: Contact details are given at the end of each article: our communication team would be delighted to provide you with more information on any of the subjects covered.
IMPRINT. The magazine Tomorrow Today is a media collaboration with the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology. Editorial responsibility rests with Austria Innovativ. Media owner and publisher_Bohmann Druck und Verlag GesmbH & Co. KG., 1110 Vienna, Leberstrasse 122, phone: +43 1 740 95-0. DVR: 0408689. Management_Gabriele Ambros, Gerhard Milletich. Publisher_AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Tech Gate Vienna, Donau-City-Strasse 1, 1220 Vienna, phone: +43 (0) 50550-0. Publishing manager_Patrick Lehnhart. Editors-inchief_Michael Hlava, e-mail: michael.hlava@ait.ac.at, Norbert Regitnig-Tillian, E-Mail: nrt@bohmann.at. Editors_Margit Noll, Daniel Pepl. Authors of this edition_Alfred Bankhamer, Doris Griesser, Eva Pfisterer, Angelika Prohammer. Project management_Daniel Pepl. Graphic design_Anita Frühwirth. Layout_Markus Frühwirth (REPROMEDIA). Print_ Druckerei Odysseus, Haideäckerstrasse 1, A-2325 Himberg. Cover shot_AIT. Publication_4 times a year. All copyrights reserved, including Section 44 paras. 1 and 2 of the Austrian Copyright Act. ISSN 1994-5159 (print), ISSN 1994-5167 (online). Free subscription via e-mail_cmc@ait.ac.at. Disclosure pursuant to Section 25 of the Austrian Media Act. Media owner: Bohmann Druck und Verlag Gesellschaft m.b.H. & Co. KG. Reg. office: 1110 Vienna, Leberstrasse 122. Purpose of business: the production, publishing and distribution of printed works of all kinds, especially specialist journals. Selling of books, journals, art and music. Trading in goods of all kinds. Event management. Managing directors: MMag. Dr. Gabriele Ambros, KR Gerhard Milletich. Shareholders: Dietrich Medien Holding Gesellschaft m.b.H. 90.91%, Bohmann Druck und Verlag Gesellschaft m.b.H. 9.09%. Executive shareholder: Bohmann Druck und Verlag Gesellschaft m.b.H.. Bohmann Druck und Verlag Gesellschaft m.b.H. & Co. KG has shareholdings within the meaning of § 25 of the Austrian Media Act in: D & R Verlagsgesellschaft m.b.H. Nfg. KG, Reg. office in Vienna; purpose of business: the production, publishing and distribution of printed works of all kinds, especially specialist and service journals. Verlag Holzhausen GmbH, Reg. office in Vienna; purpose of business: publishing of non-fiction and technical books in the fields of politics, economics, science, health and art, architecture and culture. Norbert Jakob Schmid Verlagsgesellschaft m.b.H., Reg. office in Vienna; purpose of business: book and journal publishing. V & R Verlagsgesellschaft m.b.H., Reg. office in Vienna; purpose of business: editing. Repro-Media Druckgesellschaft m.b.H. Nfg. KG, Reg. office in Vienna; purpose of business: advertising graphics studio, production of and trade in pre-production products. Schau Media Wien Ges.m.b.H., Reg. office in Vienna, purpose of business: participating interests in media, executive shareholder: KR Gerhard Milletich; shareholder structure: 50 % MMag. Dr. Gabriele Ambros, 50 % KR Gerhard Milletich. The fundamental aim of the publication Tomorrow Today is to inform the general public about current developments, successful achievements, innovations, new applications and concepts of the non-university, application-based, industrially relevant research of the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology.
03
04
➜ MAJOR SYSTEMS
STRATEGIC THINKING /// For Research and Technology Organisations (RTO), having the right research strategy is decisive when it comes to securing the success of their customers and partners, as well as for the organisation‘s future growth. The AIT Austrian Institute of Technology is now moving into the next phase of its strategy. /// The AIT Austrian Institute of Technology is Austria‘s largest research institution for applied research. Its research strategy is therefore the heart and soul of this centre of excellence. The strategy focuses on the so-called ‘Innovation Needs of Infrastructure Systems’ and the answers and solutions AIT’s experts can provide to our customers. Research and development expertise is pooled in three interdisciplinary ‘Major Systems’, which are supported by all AIT Departments: Urban Systems, Smart Grids and Ambient Assisted Living. AIT‘s strategy through to 2020 is focused on taking on a key role as an innovative and renowned RTO in the field of infrastructure research and development. In order to achieve this goal, the departments of Energy, Mobility, Safety & Security, Health & Environment and Innovation Systems have concentrated on positioning themselves effectively in the market over the past few years, making a name for themselves in their particular research fields. Today AIT already enjoys a key position as a strong and competent national research partner for Austria‘s industry, infrastructure providers and the public authorities. AIT has also successfully positioned itself in the European market. In future the organisation will increasingly focus on forming international strategic partnerships and developing international markets. AIT will continue on its current path and extend its expertise in strategically important areas of research. By focusing on infrastructure systems, AIT can combine the competencies from across its departments and provide integrated services on the global market. Consequently, strategic cooperation between AIT‘s departments will be increased, taking the form of joint research activi-
04-07.indd 4
ties and market development. Due to the international importance of these subject areas and AIT‘s cross-departmental strength in these fields, AIT has defined the following Major Systems: Smart Grids, Ambient Assisted Living and Urban Systems. The goal is to jointly develop these key areas within AIT, to capitalise on available synergies, facilitate new research approaches, and offer an integrated range of services for our customers and partners. SHARED ANSWERS AND SOLUTIONS
In the field of Urban Systems AIT has already succeeded in achieving international visibility for its research activities on Smart Cities. Greater cooperation between areas relating to energy, mobility, environment or governance is intended to help develop and create sustainable technologies and strategies for tomorrow‘s cities. This involves a particular focus on the development of urban system approaches for the targeted adaptation of urban structures. Expanding on AIT‘s expertise and experience in designing energyefficient buildings and urban districts, multimodal traffic systems and safety-critical infrastructure, the challenge is to play a role in developing strategies for sustainable cities and urban infrastructure as well as for regional climate developments. In the field of Smart Grids, AIT has already demonstrated cross-departmental expertise in developing innovative solutions for future power supply. The integration of security aspects as well as infrastructure policy and socioeconomic aspects of the Smart Grids concept is designed to support the implementation of Smart Grids solutions. This is achieved through coordinating know-how in electrical energy storage, ICT security and concepts for
22.05.14 13:42
MAJOR SYSTEMS
05
sustainable infrastructure policy. And in the field of Ambient Assisted Living (AAL), AIT offers wide-ranging expertise in developing technologies and systems which can improve the quality of life for older people and our ageing society in general. Our activities in the field of telemedicine and AAL, involving research experience in sensor development, process development, mobility solutions for the elderly and care institutions as well as innovative building concepts, will be driven forward to promote the integration and commercial use of AAL solutions. By pooling our expertise we are able to focus on more complex problems and devise solutions from an integrated perspective, thereby creating greater value for our customers and partners. Combining technological, economic, social and environmental aspects is particularly important in research areas which are nearing market introduction. They range from the first scientific steps in exploring business fields and problem areas, to the development of innovative and marketable solutions, through to the implementation and evaluation of new infrastructure system solutions.
â—?â—? MAJOR SYSTEM URBAN SYSTEMS COMPETENCE IN URBAN PLANNING FOR TOMORROW AIT is pooling its Urban Systems expertise across all its departments to solve the urban infrastructure problems of tomorrow in an integrated manner. How can cities overcome energy efficiency challenges, the impact of climate change, demographic and economic developments? What are the consequences for future land use and urban planning? How can urban infrastructure be provided in a cost-efficient and sustainable manner? These questions addressing the quality of life and sustainability require integrated answers, and AIT has built up significant expertise in all relevant areas over the past years. Energy: Although cities grow, there is no law of nature which determines that their energy consumption must increase in a linear fashion. Instead action needs to be taken, both at the level of integrated urban and energy planning, and at the level of energy concepts for entire districts or individual buildings. Over the past years AIT has assembled a comprehensive range of services, including developing strategies and roadmaps for energy efficient cities, and increasing energy efficiency in buildings.
04-07.indd 5
Mobility: Efficient mobility and transport routes will also play a major role in the cities of the future - and not just an economic one. AIT develops concepts for a new urban mobility, which is safe, efficient and ecologically responsible. Environment: In many urban areas the efficient and sustainable use of resources such as water, air and soil still needs optimisation. AIT is a specialist in targeted environmental monitoring and innovative methods of soil remediation. Information and communication technologies (ICT): Modern urban infrastructure relies on sophisticated ICT for proper functioning, whether in the fields of energy, mobility or water supply. This requires solutions for secure and integrated infrastructure systems. Urban management: Technological innovation isn‘t everything. New solutions must take account of economic, ecological and social factors if urban solutions are to function sustainably over the long term. This is the reason that AIT takes an integrated approach to urban innovations, combining technological and social innovations.
22.05.14 13:42
06
MAJOR SYSTEMS
NEW IN-HOUSE EXPERTISE: TECHNOLOGY EXPERIENCE
Considering the demands of end customers and users is an important element in this process. When introducing new technologies and processes, it must be taken into account how they are accepted and experienced by the end customer. In order to include these aspects at an early stage of technology development, the Innovation Systems de-
partment has introduced the necessary expertise in the form of a new business unit. The Technology Experience unit examines the user experience and incorporates the findings in the technology development stage. This allows the subject of ‚user experience‘ to be examined and evaluated from a technological perspective as well as from the viewpoints of aesthetics, emotion, trust, acceptance, comfort, perceived safety, sociality and conviction.
04-07.indd 6
without which smooth interaction between ICT and (high-voltage) power networks would not be possible. AIT can boast a large number of reference projects undertaken on behalf of international institutions. The organisation has also made a name for itself in developing projects focused on ICT security within Smart Grids. The Innovation Department (IS) contributes its many years‘ experience in analysing and evaluating complex innovation systems and networks. This expertise is supplemented by experience in the development of complex prediction models which take into account technological, economic and social developments. The Mobility Department provides expertise in battery research for Smart Grids, which is particularly important for intelligent energy storage and the integration of emobility. The goal is to successfully expand the topic of Smart Grids in order to make our mark on the international scene and position AIT as a key research partner for European network operators - for everything from strategic planning, the development of smart grid components, through to the development of efficient energy storage systems. Our Smart Grids USP is an integrated and scientific understanding of electricity systems combined with technological excellence in design, optimisation and diagnosis of all relevant components and subsystems.
Photos: AIT, Foto-
Distributed and fluctuating power supply presents electricity networks with a whole new set of challenges. AIT pools its Smart Grids expertise to support the energy supply sector, which is currently standing at a crossroads. Rising energy consumption and distributed renewable energy providers feeding power into the network make new planning and control concepts essential for stable grid operation. Intelligent storage, information and communication technologies all play a key role in transforming the energy system. Smart Grids are able to react quickly and sustainably to the changing feed-in and consumption patterns. Implementing Smart Grids requires political and regulatory frameworks to be adapted to the new realities while, at the same time, innovative technologies such as storage systems need to be developed further. Comprehensive protective and security measures are also required, as the greater use of ICT implies a greater risk of attack, as well as privacy considerations. AIT has positioned itself in this field thanks to years of experience in developing technological solutions and Smart Grids concepts, which will increasingly focus on greater integration of security, infrastructure policy and socioeconomic aspects. The Energy Department is a specialist in developing and validating a variety of scenarios which arise through the integration of electricity and communication networks. It has also developed the innovative system components
lia
●● MAJOR SYSTEM SMART GRIDS EXPERTISE IN DEVELOPING INTELLIGENT NETWORKS
22.05.14 13:42
MAJOR SYSTEMS
07
In the field of Ambient Assisted Living (AAL), AIT focuses on exploring and developing technologies, systems, processes and services designed to improve the quality of life and living conditions for older people at home, and in our social and working environment. AAL plays an increasingly important role in our ageing society. Its target group is the 50+ generation, although other age groups will also profit from developments aimed at increasing comfort, energy efficiency and healthcare. AAL systems is an approach supporting research, development and commercialisation of new AAL systems and services, from planning to implementation, both for municipalities as well as for other public and private institutions. The integration and commercialisation of these AAL solutions will be driven forward, on the basis of the technologies, methods and concepts developed by AIT over the past years. This involves demonstrating their feasibility and benefits for the end users and stakeholders, such as relatives, care organisations, doctors and health insurance companies. A systems approach enables various partial solutions (e-health, sensor systems, medication tracking, care service logistics, building automation, etc.) to be combined in order to establish a process covering the planning of AAL systems through to assisting implementation in a critical phase of market development. A key approach here is to network Smart Homes and mobility aspects into a comprehensive service for local authorities as well as public and private institutions. Therefore AIT is focusing on realising large pilot projects in selected municipalities and regions. These projects will demonstrate to relevant stakeholders the positive impact of AAL systems in terms of cost-benefit analysis, acceptance amongst the target groups, and usability. This is intended to demonstrate that AAL systems go beyond the status of Smart Home visions.
During this phase it will also be particularly important to convince not only users, but also their relatives and associated care organisations and healthcare providers, of the benefit of the new services. AAL expertise is available in each of AIT’s five departments. For example, the Health & Environment Department (HE) focuses on developing open AAL platforms and implementing them in Smart Home scenarios. The Safety & Security Department (DSS) places its focus on the development of Personal Health Systems, as well as system protection and security. The Mobility Department (MO) provides R&D in the field of mobility assistance systems and mobile care management. The Energy Department (EN) examines AAL systems from the perspective of increasing quality of life and improving the energy efficiency of buildings. And finally, the Innovation Systems Department provides extensive expertise in systemic framework conditions and the development of reflexive technologies.
Further details: Michael H. Hlava, Head of Corporate and Marketing Communications, Tel.: +43 505 50-4014, e-mail: michael.hlava@ait.ac.at, Web: www.ait.ac.at
Photos: AIT, Foto-
lia
●● MAJOR SYSTEM AMBIENT ASSISTED LIVING SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT FOR AN AGEING SOCIETY
04-07.indd 7
22.05.14 13:42
08
➜ EUROPEAN FORUM ALPBACH
2014 TECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM /// ‘Research and innovation at the crossroads’ is the overarching theme of the Technology Symposium held as part of the European Forum Alpbach from Thursday, 21 August to Saturday, 23 August. ///
The Alpbach Technology Symposium 2014, organised by the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology and Austrian radio station Ö1, will address areas of research, innovation and technology where society is currently at the crossroads. Topics with a decisive impact on future research promotion and innovation policy will be discussed in high-ranking plenary sessions and 11 working groups. As always, the event will offer ample opportunity for networking and a science programme for young people like Junior Alpbach and the Ö1 Children’s University Alpbach.
Alpbach Technology Symposium 2014: The Programme T H U R S D A Y , 2 1 A U G U S T 2014 13:00 Opening 14:00 Plenary: Industry 4.0 16:00 Plenary: Stanford, this Year’s Special Guest at the Technology Symposium: Innovation and the Culture of Failure 20:00 Plenary: We and our Brains – Neuroscience a the Crossroads F R I D A Y , 2 2 . A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 09:00 – 15:00 Working Groups 16:00 Plenary: Digital University 16:45 Plenary: Open Science – Knowledge by and for People in our Society 18:30 Plenary: Cities at the Crossroads 20:00 Urban Innovators Challenge – City and the Future S A T U R D A Y , 2 3 . A U G U S T 2 014 9:00 Plenary: Complexity Science 11:45 Plenary: Innovation at the Art Science Interface 13:15 Plenary: Closing Statements
08-09.indd 8
Anyone interested in attending the event is invited to register. All information can be found at: www.alpbach.org/technologie WORKING GROUP 1 TECHNOLOGY – GLOBAL MARKET: AUSTRIAN TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE GLOBAL MARKET
Austrian enterprises are global leaders in numerous lines of infrastructure technologies. The Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (bmvit) supports these enterprises in their endeavour to market their technologies on a global scale. This support is essential as internationally successful enterprises make a disproportionately large contribution to increase competitiveness, safeguard the business location and create jobs in Austria. WG 2 FUTURE TECHNOLOGY HOTSPOTS – WILL EUROPE STAND A CHANCE?
Hong Kong, Singapore and China have further increased their economic attractiveness and innovation dynamics. The U.S. is also pushing re-industrialisation. Europe is facing an ever-increasing competition for highly qualified talents, research institutions and innovative enterprises. How do Europe’s leading innovative enterprises cope with these challenges? WG 3 CROSS INNOVATION – A PRINCIPLE OF ECONOMIC SURVIVAL? (IN ENGLISH)
Enterprises constantly have to reinvent themselves and therefore rely on connected innovation processes bridging lines of business and enterprises. What strategies, methods and processes
22.05.14 13:43
EUROPEAN FORUM ALPBACH
Further details: Michael H. Hlava, Head of Corporate and Marketing Communications, Tel.: +43 505 50-4014, e-mail: michael.hlava@ait.ac.at, Web: www.ait.ac.at
do enterprises need to successfully adapt to new conditions and to enable them to grow sustainably? Are there any best practices? How can findings be generalised?
rage capacities. Based on interdisciplinary input, the working group aims to develop an economically and socially viable strategy for equitable access to clean energy at affordable prices.
WG 4 AGILE AND ROBUST SUPPLY CHAIN
WG 8 SCIENCE IN SOCIETY – HOW TO OVERCOME A DISJUNCTURE (IN ENGLISH)
Low transportation costs and the WTO enhance the global exchange of goods. Customer orders are individually executed in lean production systems at short delivery times. The supply chain to support this system is complex and fragile. Short-term demand swings have almost become the norm since the economic crisis of 2009. An additional factor is the increasing number of natural disasters. Agility and robustness of supply chains are gaining importance. WG 5 BIOENERGY – THE WAY TO THE FUTURE OR A DEAD END?
Apart from reducing consumption and increasing efficiency, renewable energy sources will be indispensable for achieving a “zero carbon society”. Energy from biomass stands a good chance to be one of the main pillars of a global and sustainable energy system by 2050. In a world café, the development of bioenergy will be discussed with experts from the perspective of the three pillars of sustainability: society, economy and environment. WG 6 THE COST OF THE CITY OF THE FUTURE – SOCIO-ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF SMART CITIES
Megatrends like urbanisation and climate change will determine the future of cities, where two thirds of the world’s population will live by 2050. The vision of a smart city stands for intelligent and sustainable solutions, but also costs money. Booz & Company estimate the requirement of investment in urban infrastructure to be about 350 trillion US dollars within the next 30 years, which is five times the global domestic product. WG 7 SMART ENERGY: CHALLENGES FOR AN INTERDISCIPLINARY ENERGY TRANSITION
Limited potential and strong fluctuations of renewable energy sources demand a high degree of efficiency and the development of long term sto-
08-09.indd 9
09
Life in modern societies is substantially influenced by science and research. Despite this fact science is often perceived as something distant or modestly relevant. Bridging this gap is one of the biggest challenges science policy faces today. The working group brings together international and national experts in linking science and society. WG 9 IPR STRATEGIES IN ENTERPRISES: CHALLENGES FOR IP MANAGEMENT AND INNOVATION POLICY
The challenges for IP strategies are, among others, secrecy, application strategies, assessment and quality of International Property Rights (IPR), internationalisation, various types of IPR, an optimum IPR portfolio, etc. How can innovation policy support enterprises in introducing appropriate IP management strategies? WG 10 HOW TO FINANCE RESEARCH – PUBLICLY OR PRIVATELY? NEW MODELS IN A NEW ECONOMY.
Periods of crisis markedly influence the financing of research. Stringent government budgets also have an impact on the research expenditure of private enterprises. A variety of new financing models aim to encourage private research funding – from crowd financing to private foundations and third party funds. But will this suffice for Europe and Austria to be internationally successful? WG 11 INNOVATIONS IN ACOUSTICS: TRENDS IN INDUSTRY AND MODERN LIFE
Technological innovations especially in the area of acoustics require interdisciplinarity and increasingly the inclusion of humanities, social and cultural sciences. These interactions and upcoming challenges in the areas of mobility, industrial applications as well as humans and culture will be discussed.
22.05.14 13:43
10
➜ LONG NIGHT OF RESEARCH
RESEARCH INSIGHTS /// AIT opened the doors to its research laboratories across Austria during the Long Night of Research. Thousands of visitors used the opportunity to get a glimpse into various exciting areas of research. Impressions from a successful event. ///
10-13.indd 10
22.05.14 13:43
LONG NIGHT OF RESEARCH
11
Flashes of lightning and batteries ‘glowing’ during experiments left visitors young and old speechless with amazement. But that‘s exactly what should happen when AIT opens its lab doors. Both young and old took part, marvelling, enquiring, and discussing. There were large crowds at AIT’s 15 stations, dotted around Austria - at the Giefinggasse premises, in Wiener Neustadt, Tulln and Braunau. And in the MuseumsQuartier Wien too, of course. Here, at the AIT technology island, visitors could find out more about the city of tomorrow and try out the latest eye-tracking systems. Hands-on research and spectacular experiments, stimulating interest in research, technology and innovation. And several visitors experienced a Eureka moment after they realised what infrastructure research can achieve. Perhaps we’ll meet a few of the young researchers who visited us this year in the future. As scientists at AIT. We look forward to it. See you then!
10-13.indd 11
22.05.14 13:43
LONG NIGHT OF RESEARCH
Photos: AIT
12
10-13.indd 12
22.05.14 13:43
LONG NIGHT OF RESEARCH
13
Photos: AIT
AIT IN VIENNA / TECHNOLOGY ISLAND AT THE MUSEUMSQUARTIER ● SIMULATING POWER IN A CITY OF THE FUTURE – HOW SMART CITIES ARE BUILT ● USERS DETERMINE THE TECHNOLOGY OF THE FUTURE – EYE-TRACKING SYSTEM ● AIT IN VIENNA / GIEFINGGASSE ● ELECTRIC POWER TRAIN LABORATORY – KLIMAMOBIL ELECTRIC BUS ● ON HOLIDAY WITH THE ELECTRIC CAR – PUTTING BATTERIES TO THE ACID TEST ● SOLAR POWER FOR EVERYONE – PHOTOVOLTAICS TRAINER ● THE HIGH VOLTAGE LAB – WATCHING LIGHTNING AT WORK ● FUTURE BUILDINGS ARE INTELLIGENT – AND GENERATE ENERGY ● ROADSTAR AND RESEARCH MOTORBIKE – MOTORWAY AND ROAD MONITORING ● THE SMARTEST LAB – TOMORROW’S POWER GRIDS ● AIT TULLN / THE MOULD ZOO ● THE WORLD OF CLONES ● NOT ALL WATER IS EQUAL ● AIT IN WIENER NEUSTADT / TFZ TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH CENTER WIENER NEUSTADT ● NFC: A NEW WORLD OF COMMUNICATION ● SAFE AND HEALTHY IN OLD AGE ● AIT IN BRAUNAU / LKR LIGHT METAL COMPETENCE CENTER RANSHOFEN AT TECHNO-Z BRAUNAU ● LIGHTER AND BETTER …
10-13.indd 13
22.05.14 13:43
14
➜ ENERGY
KNOW-HOW FOR THE SOLAR POWERED FUTURE /// Solar power play a key role in all energy transition scenarios. The newly established AIT Business Unit for Photovoltaic Systems is focusing on the challenges this technology must overcome on our path to a post-fossil fuel age. ///
ENERGY TRANSITION is already in full swing. Efforts are being made worldwide to extend the range of renewable energy sources in order to achieve ambitious climate protection targets. An important part of the future energy mix is photovoltaics (PV), i.e. power from the sun. However, the market situation in Europe has changed fundamentally over the past years. Nowadays most PV modules are manufactured in Asia, and much funding in Europe is being throttled back - a development which has led to consolidation in the European market and the slowing down of the explosive growth rates seen in the past. However, globally the boom continues with the largest growth markets being China, India, Africa, the Middle East and America. „Therefore European companies need a greater international focus, moving away from the mass market and towards innovative technologies and special applications, in order to make their mark in this growing but very competitive market,“ explains Christoph Mayr, Head of the Photovoltaic Systems Business Unit, which has been established in January to
●● IN A NUTSHELL The sun radiates as much energy onto the earth in just a few hours as mankind consumes in a year. The huge challenge is to exploit this gigantic potential. A key technology for achieving this is photovoltaics (PV), which already forms an integral part of the power mix, and will play a decisive role in significantly reducing CO₂ emissions in future energy production. This requires improvements in efficiency, production costs and material consumption. Against this background, the AIT Energy Department is developing new quality assurance methods for large-scale PV installations, innovative solutions for building-integrated photovoltaics, and efficient methods of manufacturing third generation thin-film modules.
14-17.indd 14
drive forward this subject area. „We have included these developments in our strategic considerations, and in future we will focus more strongly on quality assurance in large PV installations, building-integrated photovoltaics and thin-film technologies.“ SOLAR RETURN ON INVESTMENT
PV installations are a major investment and – with an operating life of at least 25 years – a particularly long-term one. This makes it all the more important for investors and operators that the quality is right and yield losses are avoided. „The monitoring systems which are installed as standard on PV installations supply high resolution data about environmental conditions such as temperature and radiation, as well as operating data including voltage and power,“ explains PV expert Thomas Krametz. This represents thousands of values per minute, which have so far not been used in a preventative manner to avoid yield losses. AIT wants to evaluate this data using new scientific methods in order to highlight potential operating improvements. Together with an investor and plant operator, the experts examined PV power plants with a total output of several hundred MWp, which represents a surface area of more than 1,000 football pitches. One finding is that badly positioned sensors can significantly impair the analysis of operating behaviour. The team also identified hidden firmware and hardware problems in the inverter module, which plays a decisive role in overall plant efficiency, and suggested appropriate solutions. „By scientifically evaluating the data monitored we can lo-
22.05.14 13:42
ENERGY
15
A WIN-WIN SITUATION THANKS TO MULTIFUNCTIONALITY
cate the source of yield losses and know which adjustments need to be made to increase the efficiency of the inverter,“ explains Krametz. There is also usually room for improvement in maintenance strategies, where errors in spare parts management and incorrectly planned service intervals cost the operator valuable kilowatt-hours. The higher the output and the feed-in tariff, the greater is the impact of even the slightest improvements on the return on investment (ROI). Added to this, AIT scientists also provide support in preparing calls for tenders and assessing bids, enabling investors and operators to be sure of buying value for money.
However, there is insufficient free space for large installations everywhere. „If significant solar contributions to power generation are to be achieved, then PV must increasingly be integrated into buildings, especially in urban areas,“ states PV expert Marcus Rennhofer. Building-integrated PV has enormous potential as the Vienna University of Technology and AIT proved at the Solar Decathlon in California, the world‘s largest university competition for solar CHRISTOPH MAYR /// Head of Business Unit construction. The „Photovoltaic Systems“ entire power supply for the winning “European companies need a greater international foLISI house, desigcus, moving away from the ned by the Austmass market and towards rian student team, innovative technologies and special applications.” was provided by the 8.6 kWp photovoltaic system on the roof of the „plus-energy“ house. Ideally, such systems fulfil several tasks at once, not only producing power but at the same time taking over other functions such as shading, weather protection or thermal insulation. This multifunctionality was the goal of the MPPF project, in which AIT worked together with Austrian partners from the
THEODOROS DIMOPOULOS /// Scientist “Around the world research groups are developing flexible, inexpensive cells and efficient manufacturing processes – this is in effect the Holy Grail of thin-film photovoltaics.“
14-17.indd 15
22.05.14 13:42
16
ENERGY
THOMAS KRAMETZ /// Engineer “By scientifically evaluating the data monitored we can locate the source of yield losses and know which adjustments need to be made to increase efficiency.“
construction industry, research, building services engineering, solar thermal and photovoltaics fields, to develop a modular facade system for large buildings. „PV facade elements designed with this goal in mind provide significant added value by offering an uninterrupted view of the outside whilst simultaneously blocking up to 80% of incoming radiation from the sun. This saves a large proportion of the cooling costs whilst at the same time generating power,“ says Rennhofer.
correspondingly lighter. They are also cheaper to produce and can be made in a variety of forms including flexible versions. „Around the world research groups are developing flexible, inexpensive cells and efficient manufacturing processes – this is in effect the Holy Grail of thin-film photovoltaics,“ explains Theodoros Dimopoulos who is researching into next generation solar cells at the Energy Department. The most popular thinfilm system at the moment is a mixture of copper, indium, gallium and selenium, also known as CIGS. The AIT scientists are working with partners in Austrian industry on a flexible and inexpensive module of this type as part of the SynerCIS project. In parallel, research is being undertaken into new material systems, such as copper-zinc-tin-sulphide, which is sourced from nontoxic and abundant materials in the earth‘s crust and is seen as the greatest hope for third generation photovoltaics. In both cases, the aim is a ‚roll-to-roll‘ manufacturing process, where
PREFABRICATED FACADE SYSTEMS
ON THE QUEST FOR THE HOLY GRAIL
Building-integrated photovoltaics is also one of the most promising applications for thin-film technologies. Here the slim cells can be exploited to their full potential. They are around 100-times thinner than conventional silicon-based cells, and
14-17.indd 16
MARCUS RENNHOFER /// Scientist „If significant solar contributions to power generation are to be achieved, then PV must increasingly be integrated into buildings, especially in urban areas.“
the substrate material is unwound from a roll, passed through a variety of baths where the individual layers are deposited from a solution, and finally rolled up again as a finished solar cell. „Close cooperation with partners from Austrian industry, some of them global players in their fields, is vital in this process,“ says Dimopoulos. The synergies between science and business this brings will play a decisive role in sustainably securing the competitiveness of Austrian companies in the growing global market for thin-film photovoltaics. ///
Further details: Energy Department, Michaela Jungbauer, Tel.: +43 505 50-6688, e-mail:michaela.jungbauer@ait.ac.at, Web: http://www.ait.ac.at/ energy
Photos: AIT, iStock
The facade elements are fully assembled in the factory including all energy, water and data supply lines. They are simply mounted to the facade and connected in a ‚plug&play‘ fashion. A prototype of the multifunctional facade ‚made in Austria‘ has already been installed on the premises of consortium leader FIBAG. It is effectively the ‚Ferrari of facade systems‘: it won‘t be implemented on a 1:1 basis, but has generated important findings for consideration in serial production. This includes understanding that prefabrication requires an integrated planning process, allowing buildings to be optimised at an early stage. „Unfortunately, at the moment photovoltaics is usually brought on board at the end of the construction process, after all the key decisions have already been made,“ says Rennhofer, explaining the current situation. Instead, the energy concept should be integrated into the planning process right from the start, in cooperation with the architects and building services engineers. This enables enormous cost savings, both in construction and operation.
22.05.14 13:42
RESEARCH SERVICES
ENERGY
17
The AIT Energy Department combines long-standing expertise in the simulation, modelling and testing of PV systems and components with state-of-the-art laboratory infrastructure. This enables AIT to provide companies with scientifically grounded development support for quality assurance along the entire value chain – from solar cells and PV modules through to solar power plants. Quality assurance for components and systems The PV Laboratory of the AIT Energy Department is accredited for the testing and analysis of cells and modules. This scientific expertise is increasingly being used for the quality assurance of solar power plants. Modules and solar cells • Performance measurements on solar cells and PV modules • Type approval testing of PV modules (IEC 61215, IEC 61646, IEC 61730) • Quality measurements (electroluminescence, photoluminescence, thermography) and accelerated aging tests • Benchmarking of PV module types (supplier assessment)
Solar power plants • Plausibility analysis of predicted yield • Support in drawing up invitations to tender and in assessing bids for solar power plants • Technical due diligence testing • Scientific analysis of high-resolution monitoring data for optimising plant performance
Photos: AIT, iStock
Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) Building roofs and facades offer a large potential for harvesting solar energy. Integrated PV components ensure sustainable power supply while also providing additional functions such as passive cooling, shading or thermal insulation. The AIT Energy Department offers services designed to develop and optimise components, modules and systems of building-integrated photovoltaics for specific requirements. • Component tests on BIPV modules and systems, monitoring • Combined simulation of components and buildings for integrated planning • Feasibility studies and evaluation of innovative BIPV concepts • Support in planning, calls for tenders and bid assessments
Technologies for next-generation solar cells Thin-film solar cells promise significant reductions in manufacturing costs and can also be deposited onto flexible substrates. Their versatility and tailored properties open up new applications, for example in building-integrated photovoltaics or electric mobility. AIT develops new materials, manufacturing processes and characterisation methods for these next-generation solar cells. • Development of new material combinations and cell concepts • Development of cost-efficient fabrication processes for thin-film solar cells and modules • Development of non-destructive and non-invasive methods for in-situ characterisation • Structural, optical and photovoltaic characterisation of cells and materials ///
14-17.indd 17
RUMMAN SYED, MENG., CEO OF CRYSTALSOL GMBH, ON THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PHOTOVOLTAICS SECTOR AND THE ROLE OF RESEARCH IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. crystalsol is involved in developing flexible photovoltaic films. What do you perceive as the most important applications for this technology in the future? crystalsol is developing a completely new type of photovoltaic film for building integration. The film is flexible, light and can be readily integrated into existing production processes for building elements such as facade or roofing elements. Building-integrated photovoltaics is one of the fastest growing segments in the solar power market. In Austria alone, we estimate that more than 140 km² of roof space and 50 km² of facades are suitable for photovoltaics. This offers a huge growth potential for crystalsol. What are the challenges facing a young technology such as yours on its way to the market, and how can research help? Development always starts with an innovative approach. However, marketability also requires the development of a technology suitable for production, a product which meets customer needs, and a successful marketing concept. A technology is only ready to be marketed once it can be controlled. This especially demands broad-based experience as well as a solid understanding of all the materials and processes used. The development of new materials and material combinations, as in crystalsol‘s copper-zinc-tin-sulphide solar cell, can only succeed when the specific physical and chemical characteristics of these new materials are very well known. Young start-ups need the support of research institutions in building up this know-how. In which fields was, or is, cooperation with AIT advantageous for process development and material characterisation? AIT has numerous means of measuring and analysing the long-term stability of solar modules. Our engineers are in regular contact with the corresponding experts at AIT, drawing on their broad knowledge to support our own product development activities. Added to this, AIT has pertinent knowledge in the fields of analysis, conception and simulation of solutions for building-integrated photovoltaics. It is also worth mentioning our fruitful cooperation in developing transparent contact films for thin-film solar cells. Most PV production has now moved to Asia. How do you rate the chances for Austrian developers and manufacturers in this highly competitive market, and how can research help here? We see great opportunities in developing new and innovative solutions that make it possible to use photovoltaics in applications that cannot be covered by conventional photovoltaics. This includes the customised integration of photovoltaics into building envelopes. ///
22.05.14 13:42
18
➜ SAFETY & SECURITY
SENSOR NETWORKS PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT /// AIT has been active in the environmental monitoring sector for several decades. Its openUWEDAT system enables the gathering and evaluation of environmental data from sensor networks. The emissions and energy inventory emikat. at acts as a data management tool enabling the calculation of scenarios for the optimisation of energy use and the reduction of pollutant emissions in the context of urban planning or construction projects. There is strong international interest in AIT expertise in this field. /// EVERY YEAR THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF FIREWORKS and even more firecrackers shoot through the air on New Year’s Eve. Yet as impressive as such ear-shattering pyrotechnic displays may be they also have an impact on air quality as evidenced in particulate matter records (see graph below). Around New Year’s Eve, particulate pollution levels in the time diagram reach a peak up to approximately twice the top levels measured in the winter months. Particulate matter is an invisible, highly dangerous substance. The dust particles are so small that they penetrate into the smallest bronchioles of the lungs and deep into the pulmonary alveoli where they can lead to inflammation and respiratory diseases – and even lung cancer. The particles even find their way via
the pulmonary alveoli into the bloodstream and become deposited in various organs of the body. They are even able to pass through the protective blood-brain barrier. SIMULATIONS HELP TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT
Safeguarding the environment and ensuring there are no health hazards due to polluted air or water are among the key challenges being faced by society. The first step is the systematic recording and evaluation of all relevant environmental pollution. This is why Austria, alongside ongoing
●● IN A NUTSHELL Clean air and clean water are prerequisites for a healthy environment. Ongoing recording and analysis of environmental data is absolutely essential in this context. AIT has decades of experience in this area. The emissions and energy inventory emikat.at is a high quality data management system, which supports authorities and experts in the collection of data on air pollutant emissions. The system records even the smallest emission sources, provides a precise breakdown of the pollutant sources enabling the development of scenarios and targeted measures. openUWEDAT is used to collect and evaluate data from sensor networks on environmental parameters such as air, water, meteorology as well as radioactivity. Plans are underway for increased marketing of the widely used system in China and throughout Asia.
18-21.indd 18
ireworks on New Year’s Eve: particulate pollution levels in Linz hit a peak at the turn of the year - thousands upon thousands of fireworks are to blame.
22.05.14 13:42
HEINRICH HUMER /// Senior Engineer “emikat.at enables us to offer a system supporting comprehensive action planning aimed at reducing air pollutant emissions.”
monitoring activities, has introduced measures such as traffic restrictions or special initiatives aimed, for example, at encouraging the replacement of air-polluting stoves with environmentally-friendly heating systems. Sensor networks with extensive environmental data from a wide range of sources provide the basis. Not only do they warn about impending poor air quality, extreme weather conditions, flooding, drinking water contamination or even hazardous radiation. Properly combined and evaluated, such data are an important tool in helping to prevent crisis situations and is equally important in the planning of new urban districts, industrial sites or roads. The use of simulations enables all potential effects on the environment to be assessed in advance. For several decades now, AIT scientists and engineers have worked on the systematic gathering and evaluation of environmental data. Efforts are focused on two technology platforms. The emikat.at system was developed as a high quality data management system for emissions and energy inventories, which is already supporting the authorities and experts in five Austrian provinces in the collection of data on air pollutant emissions as well as in the detailed breakdown of the various pollutant sources. The system enables the identification of the many smaller emission sources such as cars or heating systems, thus facilitating the rapid development of targeted measures. TOOL TO PREVENT AIR POLLUTION
“emikat.at enables us to offer a system supporting comprehensive action planning aimed at reducing air pollutant emissions”, explains Heinrich Humer, who works as a Senior Engineer in the AIT Safety & Security Department. Data and empirical values from previous statistics are used to develop scenarios and run simulations. Air pollutants are by-products of all combustion processes such as power and heat production, industrial processes or traffic and can in certain weather conditions of course result in concentra-
18-21.indd 19
tion levels with negative health impacts. emikat. at offers a range of evaluation tools enabling assessment of the effects of development scenarios or of planned or already implemented measures. This means, for example, that optimal adjustments can be made early on in the planning phase of urban development projects. What effect would the extension of the district heating system in towns and cities, restrictions imposed on diesel powered vehicles on certain streets or the rerouting of a road have on air quality? The scenario manager tool in emikat.at enables the effectiveness of planned measures to be mapped in space and time. It helps regional and urban planners to assess and adapt the environmental effects of their planned housing, industry and road building projects with ease, but also places highly complex demands on the software. COMPLEX DATA DIVERSITY
“The recorded data from a wide range of sources are strongly heterogeneous in terms of space and time”, says modelling specialist Rudolf Orthofer, Senior Expert Advisor at AIT. Processing and analysing this complex collection of data and filtering out individual error readings from defective or dirty sensors is a huge challenge, which has led others working in the field to fail. “For us it’s important that in all our projects we’re able to draw on the readily available expertise of our colleagues in the other AIT departments”, explains Andrea Nowak, Deputy Head of the Safety & Security Department and head of the Environmental and Crisis & Disaster Management research group. ANDREA NOWAK /// Forschungsgruppenleiterin Environmental- and Crisis & Disaster Management “For us it’s important that in all our projects we’re able to draw on the expertise of our colleagues in the other AIT departments”,
22.05.14 13:42
SAFETY & SECURITY
HUBERT HAHN /// Project Coordinator of emikat.at and openUWEDAT “With our projects we are also supporting the Austrian economy in terms of exports because the systems are largely developed and manufactured in Austria.”
Projects involving the emissions and energy inventory emikat.at, for example, are carried out in close cooperation with the AIT Innovation Systems Department. The internationalisation of the second important technology platform used in environmental monitoring, the environmental data management and monitoring system openUWEDAT, is driven forward with support from the AIT Health & Environment Department. This pooling of expertise means that AIT can offer a wider service portfolio in Europe and further afield. RUDOLF ORTHOFER /// Senior Expert Advisor “The recorded data are strongly heterogeneous in terms of space and time. It is a huge challenge to analyse these data correctly and computationally eliminate any potential errors due to defective sensors or implausible data.”
openUWEDAT is a comprehensive system for the recording, evaluation and archiving of data on environmental parameters such as air, water, meteorology, electromagnetic fields as well as radioactivity. It consists of several computers in the remote stations and a central host computer. The software collects and processes the environmental data from a range of different measuring devices and sensors, alerts to any threats and also archives and visualises the data. openUWEDAT enables sensor networks to be very quickly put in place, for example, in order to detect air pollutant emissions or contaminants in drinking water. This makes it possible to implement immediate measures if there is an imminent health risk. “openUWEDAT offers the ideal solution for the permanent monitoring of environmental parameters enabling decisions to be made based on reliable data“, explains Hubert Hahn, Project Coordinator of emikat.at and openUWEDAT.
18-21.indd 20
ENVIRONMENTAL SENSOR TECHNOLOGY FOR ASIA
There is strong interest in these tried and tested AIT technologies, which are also being constantly further developed as open source projects. openUWEDAT, for example, is already in use in Bulgaria, Indonesia and Switzerland. The next target markets are in particular China and the whole of Asia. “With our projects we are also supporting the Austrian economy in terms of exports because the systems are largely developed and manufactured in Austria”, says Hahn. In both the emikat.at and openUWEDAT projects, AIT favours open system architecture. “This facilitates ongoing further development, enables design of modular systems and leads to transparency thanks to open interfaces”, explains modelling expert Rudolf Orthofer. Transparency is a particularly important issue with regard to meeting legal requirements in the environmental monitoring sector. But open systems of course also pave the way for many more opportunities besides. “The field of sensor networks is relatively new”, says information specialist Andrea Nowak. Some projects involve the use of people as ‘mobile sensors’ via mobile phones to improve the quality of information and provide insights on the overall situation. The diverse range of data sources and intelligent linking opens up huge potential for environmental protection measures. The InnoSens (innovative sensor technology for the environment and traffic) project, for example, combines environmental, noise, meteorological and traffic data, while the SUDPLAN (Sustainable Urban Development Planner for Climate) project explores the effects of climate change on the dimensioning of wastewater treatment plants and sewage systems in Linz. ///
Further details: Safety & Security Department, Michael Mürling, Tel.: +43 505 50-4126, e-mail:michael. muerling@ait.ac.at, Web: www.ait.ac.at/cdm
Phtos: AIT, iStock
20
22.05.14 13:42
SAFETY & SECURITY
21
THOMAS ZAK, WHO WORKS FOR THE VIENNA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT, ON THE RECORDING OF EMISSIONS, THE EMISSIONS INVENTORY AND MEASURES TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY.
RESEARCH SERVICES
Phtos: AIT, iStock
Environmental and Crisis & Disaster Management Modern crisis and disaster management includes not only immediate disaster relief measures such as efficient and well-coordinated relief work or reconstruction of damaged infrastructure, but also no less comprehensive preventative activities in the field of civil protection. Secure plans and guidelines for action are developed aimed at the prevention of and/or preparation for an impending or emerging crisis based on ongoing risk analyses and the systematic recording of relevant data for a range of disaster scenarios. This facilitates data-based decision-making at command level and supports cooperation between the emergency services organisations. AIT has decades of experience in the systematic recording and processing of environmental data such as air pollutants or water quality and is therefore the technology partner of choice for organisations working in the field of crisis and disaster management. AIT focuses primarily on providing solutions in the area of disaster prevention as well as on interoperative metasystems, which enable enhanced, including cross-border networking of emergency services organisations. System development at AIT focuses on standardsbased, semantically expanded architectures, offers access services to large sensor networks and enables the optimum assessment of crisis situations using advanced visualisation technologies. This makes it easy to find all relevant information such as sensor data from different web-based resources, which can be enriched with additional facts emerging from the direct assessment of the situation on the ground. Systems developed by AIT are seen by political decision-makers as a valuable technological tool supporting efficient crisis and disaster management. Technologies and prototypes: • UWEDAT - environmental information systems for data recording, storage, evaluation, and alarms for air quality, meteorology, radioactivity, and water quality data • emikat.at – flexible data management system for the representation of emissions in space and time, for the administration of emissions data, and for analysing measures planned by provinces and communities ///
18-21.indd 21
Mr Zak, how does emissions monitoring work in Vienna? We receive the emissions data, for example, from thermal power stations, waste incineration plants or production sites. Statistical projections for the many smaller emission sources such as cars and heating systems are generated based on activities (e.g. fuel consumption) and the relevant emission factors. Which areas do you pay particular attention to? The main emission sources in Vienna are traffic, heat generation, heating and power plants, waste treatment as well as trade and industry. These sources are responsible for air pollutants such as nitrogen oxide, particulate matter, ozone, carbon monoxide and for greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. But when it comes to effective air quality management we’re not only interested in overall emission levels. It is just as important to know where and when air pollutants occur. It is only with the help of such data that the relevant measures can be developed. What role does emikat.at, the data management system developed by AIT, play in this context? emikat.at enables all emissions in Vienna to be recorded and shows when, where and which polluters are contributing to air pollution, and to what extent. The structured data then help in effective planning of measures. The emikat.at scenario manager also provides answers to “what if” questions. A simulation of expansion plans for the public transport system, for example, provides information on the reduction in air pollution to be achieved with this particular measure. The data from emikat.at in fact forms the principal basis for the municipal immission prediction model. This provides information on immission levels for the whole of Vienna broken down by pollution source. All of these tools have contributed to an improvement in air quality. A good example of this success is the city’s compliance with EU limit values on the maximum number of days of excessive particulate matter (PM10) achieved in the last two years. How would you describe the cooperation with AIT? Right from the start AIT was an innovative partner in the planning of a comprehensive emissions inventory system in Vienna. The expertise and innovative ideas provided by Dr. Rudolf Orthofer and his team at AIT proved very important in helping setting up the Vienna air quality management system. We worked together on the collection of emissions data throughout the city and on the integration of the data in a specially developed database system. Thanks to excellent communication between the AIT experts and City of Vienna officials the system was increasingly tailored to meet our needs. The success of the project has indeed led other Austrian federal provinces to follow Vienna’s example and they are also using emikat.at. This enables enhanced comparability of the emissions inventories between the provinces, which also proves helpful in supra-regional action plans. How do you rate AIT’s overall innovation performance? AIT stands out for its high level expertise. That’s why we have made the company our partner on a large number of projects. ///
22.05.14 13:42
22
➜ HEALTH & ENVIROMENT
CHINA FOCUS TO BENEFIT THE ENVIRONMENT /// Pollution levels in China are higher than ever before. AIT expertise is being applied in sustainable environmental projects in China. ///
●● IN A NUTSHELL China is interested in finding innovative remediation methods to cope with its extensive environmental problems and is prepared to make considerable investments. The AIT has entered into a cooperation agreement with a large Chinese research partner (the China Geological Survey, CGS) to pursue a range of projects including generating hazard maps for landslides which present an enormous problem in China due to weather conditions, earthquakes, unregulated building and land development and climate change. The joint agenda also includes projects relating to groundwater monitoring and remediation, workshops on the use of biogas plants and remediation of contaminated soil.
22-25.indd 22
22.05.14 13:42
CHINA‘S FAST ECONOMIC GROWTH comes at a price to the environment. Around 65% of China‘s groundwater is heavily contaminated, 30% slightly contaminated and only 5% completely free from contamination. Reports of smog alerts in China’s mega-cities are also showing no sign of disappearing. However the image of this vast country, prepared to pay any price for its industrialisation and modernisation, is changing. The Chinese government has been investing considerable sums over many years to combat this ecological decline. Chinese environmental experts came across the AIT in their search for experienced international partners to support them in sustainable environmental projects. COOPERATION WITH LOCAL PARTNERS
One important step towards a sustainable future took place last year when a cooperation agreement was signed between the China Geological Survey (CGS), which is responsible for natural hazard protection in China, and the AIT. „The CGS is the ideal partner for us in China,“ says Michaela Fritz, Head of the AIT Health & Environment Department. „The memorandum reinforces the research and business ties between Austria and China and opens the gateway to the entire Asian region“. It is no coincidence that the new partner is interested in the AIT‘s environmental concepts: „It is well-known that the Chinese take great care in selecting their cooperation partners and examine very closely which projects and publications they have completed and whether they are established in the international elite,“ says Felix Steyskal, Head of the Business Unit of Environmental Resources & Technologies. The recognised expertise of the AIT has already led to a cooperation with the CGS, which will involve drawing up hazard maps for landslides across various provinces. LIVING WITH THE DANGER OF LANDSLIDES
Landslides are very widespread in China due to a combination of heavy rainfall and frequent earthquakes. One big problem is unregulated building and land development. This year, the AIT will compile a hazard map for a particularly endangered area in China. „It relates to an area of around 500 km2 with lots of landslides where geological and meteorological data is already available and has been provided to us by the
22-25.indd 23
HEALTH & ENVIROMENT
23
CGS,“ says Philip Leopold, an AIT expert in modelling mass movements. „This data and our statistical modelling methods enable us to generate very accurate maps of endangered areas and the extent of the hazard“. The hazard map should then be used as a reference project to secure follow-up projects from other provincial governments responsible for land use planning. Joint information events with the CGS will be held to inform the relevant authorities about the advantages offered by these maps in infrastructure and land use planning. GROUNDWATER PROTECTION & BIOGAS
Since China‘s groundwater is heavily polluted in many areas and the groundwater level has fallen by as much as 100 metres in many regions, providing water for agricultural use has become increasingly problematic. For this reason, several research projects in the field of groundwater FELIX STEYSKAL /// Head of Business Unit „Environmental Resources & Technologies“. „Chinese institutes take great care in selecting their cooperation partners and examine very closely whether they are established in the international elite.“
modelling, monitoring and remediation will be carried out by the AIT together with the Tongi University in Shanghai. A memorandum to this effect has already been signed. A workshop on the management of liquid manure has been held in the Jiangxi province to address the issue of groundwater pollution by agriculture. The workshop took place in January together with an Austrian plant manufacturer. “The area surrounding the metropolis of Nanchang has one of the highest pig densities in the world,” reports Felix Steyskal. “This results in vast amounts of slurry which need to be purified because they are not used for agricultural purposes”. For this reason, some 300 biogas plants have been set up in the region over the last two years with the aid of generous government funding. “Around 95% of them are no longer in operation because, although financial support was provided to build the plants, the farmers were not shown how to use and maintain them correctly”. The AIT workshop
22.05.14 13:42
HEALTH & ENVIROMENT
has now taken a step in this direction. “In future we want to offer training for officials or other provincial governments too,” says Steyskal. THE FIRST SOIL REMEDIATION IN CHINA
Given the precarious groundwater situation and dramatically increasing land prices in the densely populated urban areas, the remediation PHILIP LEOPOLD /// Modelling Expert “Geological and meteorological data and our statistical modelling methods enable us to generate very accurate hazard maps for landslides.“
of contaminated soil has become an important issue over the last few years for the Chinese authorities. “Cooperation in this field is of particular interest to the AIT because no projects of this nature have been carried out in China so far, although everyone is talking about it,” says Felix Steyskal of his working visits to China. A memorandum has already been signed with the Chinese R&D company Bioland as the first step in this process. The first joint project will focus on soil remediation of a 8 km2 area in Beijing, which is contaminated with benzene and other pollutants from a steel works which closed in 2010. WIDE-RANGING ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTISE
The AIT is also active in the fields of smart cities, environmental monitoring and process technology consulting in China in line with its
22-25.indd 24
comprehensive approach. Since environmental issues often overlap and should therefore be tackled together and not individually, there is strong cooperation between various fields of expertise at the AIT: AIT energy experts and specialists in groundwater modelling and soil remediation are both involved in ‘smart city’ projects while environmental monitoring also involves the expertise of information managers. The three departments of Energy, Safety & Security and Health & Environment are working closely together to offer coordinated and customised solutions. The fact that the first steps on the Chinese market have gone so smoothly is partly thanks to the commitment of the Austrian embassy in Beijing, according to Felix Steyskal. “Our meetings were planned and prepared down to the very last detail. These organisational preparations made it considerably easier for us to approach this unfamiliar market”. The AIT is also a welcome partner to Chinese institutions and companies “because it offers comprehensive environmental expertise and does not want to sell large-scale plants, like many of the others”. ///
Further details: Health & Environment Department, Zlata Kovacevic, Tel.: +43 505 50-4406, e-mail: zlata.kovacevic@ait.ac.at, Web: www.ait.ac.at/health_ environment
Fotos: AIT, iStock
24
22.05.14 13:42
RESEARCH SERVICES Soil Remediation and Isotope Applications Innovative and efficient methods are key to the remediation of contaminated sites. Optimal deployment of these technologies requires a high level of expertise concerning the behaviour of the contaminants in the environment. Together with our partners, AIT develops biological and chemical in-situ remediation technologies. The application of isotope methods is an important tool in this context. Projects are carried out using state-of-the-art facilities and equipment (lysimeter, spectroscopic methods such as EPR, P&T-GC-IRMS, etc.). Our services: • Development of new innovative remediation methods • Remediation concepts for contaminated sites • Examining the applicability of in-situ remediation methods (e.g. biological degradation rates of petroleum-derived hydrocarbons, adsorbability of inorganic contaminants) • Scientific support in the application of innovative remediation methods • Ecotoxicological analyses • Isotope applications on contaminated sites
Fotos: AIT, iStock
Landslide Identification & Hazard Modeling Climate change and changes in land use increase the risk of mass movements such as landslides worldwide. Novel approaches of statistical modelling provide a sound basis for mapping these hazards on a large scale. The hazard maps for mass movements generated by AIT allow decision makers to take the risk of landslides into account at an early stage of land use planning. Our services: • Identification & mapping of mass movements both in the field and using remote sensing and digital elevation models based on airborne laser scanning (ALS-DEM) • Monitoring of mass movements • Consulting and planning of sustainable landslide remediation measures • Large-scale modelling of landslide risk using advanced statistical methods (weights of evidence) • Preparation of hazard maps for mass movements and consulting services to decision makers Water Resources & Management The hydrogeology, geophysics, hydrodynamics and isotope hydrology investigations carried out by AIT experts provide a sound basis for the exploration, exploitation and conservation of water resources. Our services: • Exploration and protection of drinking water resources: • Water resources management: • Water quality: • Water isotopes and environmental tracers: • Groundwater measurements for determining aquifer properties ///
22-25.indd 25
HEALTH & ENVIROMENT
25
MAG. BIRGIT MURR, HEAD OF THE OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AT THE AUSTRIAN EMBASSY IN BEIJING, DISCUSSES AUSTRIAN ENVIRONMENTAL INNOVATION IN CHINA. Few issues are as prominent in China as the environment. How intensively is China working towards solutions at present? Following over 30 years of over-exploitation of nature, environmental issues now have a high level of political relevance in China. As soon as a certain degree of affluence has been achieved, life satisfaction increasingly depends on quality of life. Environmental issues play a key role here, especially as the environmental threats and damages are obvious. Improving the quality of the air as well as the water and soil etc. is increasingly becoming a factor determining political stability in China. The government takes these issues very seriously. Strong focus is currently being placed on gathering information and analysing and compiling implementation plans. However the issue is very complex. It would, of course, be possible to close down the ‘dirtiest’ industries such as steel, cement and concrete to improve air quality, and this has happened to an extent, but then there is the question of what people will do if they lose their jobs. In a country with growing energy requirements, it is not realistic to shut down the coal-fired power stations either. This means that concepts are needed which offer comprehensive, integrative solutions. Various research institutes and political institutions are currently working on this – the implementation will be heavily reflected in the next five-year plan from 2017. How can Austrian research contribute to this and how does it benefit? Austria is well-positioned to deal with numerous environmental issues from quality monitoring and analysis to remediation as well as associated environmental issues such as energy efficiency, smart city etc. Another strength is its comprehensive approach and alignment of complex parameters. China often has shortfalls in these areas. The advantages for Austrian research are clear. Over the past 10 years and since 2010 in particular, China has invested significant sums in developing its research capacity, including hardware, labs and manpower. I recently spoke with the Vice Principle of a university in Hong Kong. He said that there is no getting past China – the country has lots of qualified and motivated researchers, ultra-modern labs, opportunities for pilot experiments, few restrictions and industry as a potential customer for applied research. This should also be of interest to Austria. Cooperation with China may generate research results which can be applied in European regions as well. Which AIT environmental initiatives offer the best opportunities on the Chinese market? I think all of the fields referred to in the article offer opportunities in China. In particular, I would like to mention the field of food safety. Due to the numerous food scandals, the Chinese concern for their often only child and the lack of transparency and controls, this is an issue which makes the Chinese population very anxious and has therefore returned to the political spotlight. In general, the best opportunities emerge when you find the right Chinese partner. And a pooling of Austrian capacity often seems useful in the light of this Chinese dimension. One important issue which also applies to financial projects: developing the Chinese market primarily from Vienna will not lead to lasting success! ///
22.05.14 13:42
26
➜ INNOVATION SYSTEMS
FUTURE DISCUSSIONS AT THE SCIENCE CAFÉ /// The Vienna coffee house culture recently experienced a revival at Café Griensteidl. The AIT Innovation Systems Department invited representatives from the worlds of science, administration and business to the Future Science Café. The programme included a glimpse into the future of research and innovation. Following a short presentation of the EU projects ‚RIF Research & Innovation Futures‘ and ‚INFU Innovation Futures‘ and the scenarios involved, participants outlined their expectations at the café tables. /// THE VIENNA COFFEE HOUSE CULTURE is famous for offering a former meeting place where intellectuals and artists would gather to discuss various issues. In early March, the AIT Innovation Systems Department invited representatives from the worlds of business, science and politics to this traditional Viennese institution to share their thoughts on the future of research and innovation at the Café Griensteidl. The background to this Future Science Café were the recently completed EU projects ‚RIF Research and Innovation Futures‘ and ‚INFU Innovation Futures‘. Both were coordinated by the AIT and explore issues such as the future of research and innovation. Following the initial presentation, participants discussed what opportunities, risks
●● IN A NUTSHELL The ‚World Café‘ is an important instrument for strategic foresight processes and was developed for the purpose of exchanging ideas. In March, the AIT Innovation Systems Department invited representatives from the world of science, business and politics to the Café Griensteidl as part of the first ‚Future Science Café to re-evoke the creative culture of discussion once associated with the famous Viennese coffee house culture. The aim was to offer well-founded insight into the future of research and innovation. The discussions were based on findings and scenarios from the AIT-managed EU projects ‚RIF Research & Innovation Futures‘ and ‚INFU Innovation Futures‘. The wide range of information and experiences exchanged from a range of social fields generates new findings about potential pathways for research as well as a well-founded basis for concrete measures.
26-29.indd 26
and challenges these changes could bring in future research and development in a ‚World Café‘ format. HOW WILL RESEARCH BE ORGANISED IN THE FUTURE?
Petra Schaper-Rinkel spoke about the EU project ‚Research & Innovation Futures 2030‘ (RIF) managed by the AIT. Key issues included: how will research and innovation be organised in the knowledge society of the future? How will scientists and others be affected by future changes in science, technology and innovation? And what do these changes mean for the future of the European Research Area? The project explored current changes in research such as the trend towards science 2.0, big data, the move from hypothesis-driven research to data- driven research, new lab practices, interactive online collaboration between researchers and citizens, participatory sensing, Facebook for researchers and much more. Numerous areas of topical interest were identified such as the explosive growth in scientific information and the lack of individually manageable and reliable information. Another key issue is openness in modern scientific research and dependence on project-based financing. These problems may trigger future dilemmas such as a decline in the appeal of care-
22.05.14 13:42
INNOVATION SYSTEMS
ers in science or even a failure of established instruments for promoting research and innovation to address the widely discussed grand social challenges of the future. Transformative scenarios for 2030 include self-organised open research platforms within a decentralised research landscape or knowledge parliaments where open negotiations about knowledge claims will take place. Innovations can also be generated within a highly specialist research landscape as part of knowledge value chains.
Following the identification of initial trend signals, 20 scenarios were outlined which describe, e.g., the complete externalisation of the idea creation process or an open innovation marketplace for companies. The models described include innovations based on closed resource circles, so-called waste based innovations (cradle to cradle) or purely automatic innovations picked from the internet following a scan for ideas. Things could also move in the direction of an open source society or trigger a ‚no-innovation‘
HOW WILL INNOVATION TAKE PLACE IN THE FUTURE?
wave involving a rejection of the ever-increasing pace of innovation and the compulsion to release new generations of products which offer doubtful additional benefits at ever shorter time intervals. These scenarios were used to flag up the potential and consequences for various social groups of increasing participation and networking, automated innovation or sustainability and concentration on the grand social challenges. The two talks provided a wide range of ideas and inspiration, offering plenty of scope for the subsequent table discussions.
Karl-Heinz Leitner presented the EU project coordinated by the AIT on ‚Innovation Futures: New forms of innovation and their implications for innovation policy‘ (INFU). The main focus was on how innovation will take place in the future. More recent innovation models such as open innovation build on the image of innovating enterprises, as described by Joseph Schumpeter. This expanded definition of innovation also includes social innovation and innovation in the public domain.
26-29.indd 27
27
22.05.14 13:42
WORLD CAFÉ
The AIT Innovation Systems Department has already organised a few similar international World Cafés for the purpose of exchanging ideas and participating in research as part of its foresight projects. The World Café was originally applied by the US consultants Brown and Isaacs in order to incorporate the ideas from all relevant parties in organisational change processes. The AIT uses the same format to discuss research issues as well as core questions in research and innovation policy with experts. Using tried-and-tested foresight methods, potential future developments can be presented in various scenarios and pathways. The issue of what direction research may take in future is also very important for stakeholders in administration, politics and business to plan research and innovation measures and adequately respond to potential developments. At the modern-day café, the tables are bigger than in the past and completely covered with paper although there is certainly no lack of profound and well-founded discussion. A World Café is primarily about identifying the development pathways of a deliberately mixed audience in order to react in good time to changes. Despite the clear working character, there are refreshments on the tables but these gradually move towards the edges in order to make space for the ideas being jotted down in keywords and sketches with coloured pencils. Each contribution and every keyword provide scope for discussing potential new developments in science and innovation.
A total of five themes were discussed at the tables. One table focused on measuring and assessing research. The ‚host‘, Michael Dinges of the AIT Innovation Systems Department, gave a short introduction including theories and scenarios which have already been developed in research projects. The discussion then begins with participants flagging up keywords and cross-connections: ‚Cost v results evaluation. What else can be measured?‘ One quick sketch of a fence is labelled: ‚Where are the boundaries?‘ And does Web 2.0 offer new possibilities for evaluation? Over time, an initially chaotic-seeming collection of things is recorded on paper, generating new motivation for discussion. A creative cloud of different findings and arguments is formed, all of
26-29.indd 28
Photos: AIT, Bankhamer
TABLE WORK
22.05.14 13:42
which are linked together and assist in exploring the numerous potential future pathways. The recorded findings also serve as a source of inspiration for the next round of discussion. After around 20 to 30 minutes, the tables change over, while the host remains at the table and summarises the first round for the new group. NEW PERSPECTIVES
The discussions also focus on concrete personal experience and the latest developments in EU research policy. The intensive exchange of ideas brings about new perspectives from the different areas. This is reflected in the example of evaluation which is not always popular and does not always deliver useful results. There is a great deal of pressure to evaluate projects and programmes ever more quickly, but the results of the evaluation are often not used to make improvements. However, evaluations are also seen as offering significant advantages if the right criteria are applied. Futures discussions cannot be expected to supply simple and universally valid statements but they do identify numerous useful scenarios. A neighbouring table discusses the new demands placed on science and research. In what direction will science develop between the two poles of autonomy and heteronomy? Another team addresses the direction of research and innovation policy. Participation and the provocative additional question of ‚Everything open?‘ is also the subject of heated debate. The Science Café is one of the latest new participatory tools which could feature more prominently in the research community in future. Conflicting trends often emerge which could lead to dilemmas. While more and more scientific platforms promote the global exchange of knowledge on the internet (Science 2.0), company representatives report that there is often a lack of public discussion about their research topics. The pressure of competition in industrial research is very high, while at the same time companies are keen to benefit from research funding as part of cooperative projects.
INNOVATION SYSTEMS
29
ars of work? At the same time, the risk is high that no satisfactory results are found. But it is the willingness to approach more risky projects that is essential for ensuring that research offers benefits for both the economy and society. Which institutions (from universities to virtual researcher networks) will dominate research in the future? What does this mean for the survival of the classic universities with their wide range of subjects and for research and funding policy? And how will the new research networks be managed in the future? Does this new openness bring greater democracy in the form of access to knowledge and involvement in decisions or rather does it mean a new form of elite training which defends its knowledge claims through new boundaries? Human power games versus participatory structures? It was astonishing how a range of information, experience and scenarios generated a comprehensive image within a very short space of time. After the table sessions, discussions continued during the informal part of the Science Café. What at first glance appears to be a leisurely coffee house chat is actually part of a systematic process. All of the results from the Future Science Café will be methodologically assessed and deliver new input for fine-tuning scenarios and their consequences for research and politics. The focus will be on what consequences the two foresight processes analysing international developments will have for Austria. ///
Photos: AIT, Bankhamer
AN AVALANCHE OF INFORMATION
The scientific community is also under growing pressure to publish in ever shorter times to achieve as many citations as possible. What do these developments mean for fundamental research? Will it be attractive for future researchers to release just a few publications after ye-
26-29.indd 29
Further details: Innovation Systems Department, Beatrice Rath, Tel.: +43 505 50-4508, e-mail:beatrice.rath@ ait.ac.at, Web: www.ait. ac.at/is
22.05.14 13:42
30
➜ MOBILITY
E-MOBILITY RELOADED /// The battery is regarded as a crucial point in the development of affordable and efficient electric cars. In cooperation with industry partners, AIT is working on research into next generation energy storage systems. /// THERE’S SOMETHING in the air in our towns and cities. Traffic emits vast quantities of nitrogen oxide, particulate matter and CO2 into the air – at times it can make breathing difficult and has a significant impact on climate change. This is why in Austria as well as at European level zero-emission electric mobility is regarded as the environmentally friendly alternative to petrol and diesel driven vehicles. In Germany, for example, the goal is to have a million and in Austria 250,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2020. One of the major hurdles to reaching this ambitious goal for electric mobility is the energy storage system. Although in recent years progress has been made in terms of range, charging times and costs, further improvements are needed in order to increase public acceptance of electric vehicles and thus pave the way for the large-scale establishment of electric mobility. “Without a doubt, a more powerful and less expensive energy storage system
●● IN A NUTSHELL Poor air quality in our towns and cities and climate change have led to an urgent need for new sustainable solutions for motorised private transport. The Austrian government has the goal to have some 250,000 electric cars on our roads by 2020. The path to reaching this goal is, however, strewn with numerous research challenges – first and foremost with regards to the energy storage system. The main requirements here are high capacity, long service life, high efficiency and good environmental compatibility. Over recent years, the AIT Mobility Department has built up extensive know-how in this field and provides industry partners with all relevant services from one source – from material optimisation through to battery testing. The main focus is on optimisation of the existing lithium-ion technology as well as on the development of energy storage systems for the post-lithium era.
30-33.indd 30
will be an important door opener for electric mobility of the future,” says Atanaska Trifonova, Coordinator for Electrical Energy Storage at the AIT Mobility Department. ONE-STOP-SHOP FOR INDUSTRY
Electric vehicles currently on the market depend on lithium-ion technology also commonly used for some time now in laptops and smartphones. The main principle behind this technology: during charging lithium ions are pumped from the cathode (usually a lithium-metal oxide) through an electrolyte solution to the anode (usually made of graphite) and intercalated there. During discharge, electricity flows to power the drive and the ions migrate back to the cathode. There are of course much higher demands on such batteries used in vehicles compared with those found in laptops etc. Apart from safety, costs and service life, the quality of a battery is defined above all by its energy density, which is a key criterion in terms of range, as well as by its power density, which is important in particular for acceleration, driving speed and charging times. “Although the lithium-ion battery scores high in terms of energy density and service life, there is currently no technology available that fully meets all the demands”, explains Trifonova. “So that basically makes it a matter of finding the best possible compromise. And that is only possible if you keep the entire value chain of battery development in mind.” The AIT Mobility Department is the only research group throughout Austria providing this
22.05.14 13:42
MOBILITY
ATANASKA TRIFONOVA /// Coordinator for Electrical Energy Storage at the AIT Mobility Department. “Without a doubt, a more powerful and less expensive energy storage system will be an important door opener for electric mobility of the future.”
comprehensive approach to the topic – from the development of materials and battery management systems to modelling, simulation and prototyping and through to comprehensive validation and testing of cells, modules and systems according to industrial test protocols. HIGH VOLTAGE GUARANTEED
In recent months, key extensions have been made to the laboratory infrastructure to ensure AIT is fully equipped for future developments in the battery sector. “The market for electrochemical energy storage systems is highly dynamic and demands placed on research, development and testing are accordingly high”, explains the expert. The trend is towards considerably increasing the nominal voltages in the individual cells within the next few years. The battery manufacturers therefore need to know as early as possible in the development process if the materials used are suitable for the high voltage cells of the future. In response to this requirement, the Department has installed facilities enabling the basic materials used in the battery – i.e. electrodes and electrolytes – to be thoroughly tested under a range of climatic conditions in an industrystandard testing environment. The operating voltages in vehicles are also set to become much higher within the next few years. Today’s electric cars such as the Nissan Leaf or the Renault Kangoo already feature batteries with 360 to 400 volts. In line with this trend, for example, a high-performance 600 volt testing facility is available for the testing of entire battery packs together with electronics, cooling and battery management systems.
30-33.indd 31
31
THE POWER PACK FROM EUROPE
This know-how is used not only for customer services but also in numerous national and international research initiatives such as, for example, the large European project EuroLiion (High energy density Li-ion cells for traction). The consortium of industry and research partners has set itself the ambitious goal of developing a lithium-ion battery with an energy density of over 200 Wh/kg – this would represent an increase of around 30 % compared with currently available energy storage systems. A battery featuring a silicon-based anode, modified cathode materials and new electrolytes is to be developed with the aim of ensuring increased ranges, short charging times and low costs. In a first step, experts from AIT defined the minimum requirements for the new components thus providing the basis for material development. The finished cells will later undergo comprehensive electrical and climatic tests to examine how well the new technology performs under realistic operating conditions. In parallel to this process, a high resolution electro-thermal model of the cell is created. This virtual cell enables the simulation of ageing processes and different types of applications and facilitates integration in vehicle design. The pro-
22.05.14 13:42
32
MOBILITY
nova. “This should ensure that the technology developed within this project will be quickly brought to market.” RESEARCH LEADING TO NEXT GENERATION BATTERIES
cess concludes with a life cycle analysis, which along with the technical aspects also takes account of costs, environmental sustainability and long-term availability of the materials used. The consortium is made up of leading European research institutes including TU Delft and the University of Cambridge as well as battery manufacturers and leading car manufacturers such as Renault and Volvo. “Development work is therefore strongly focused on the practical requirements of the automotive industry”, says Trifo-
Further details: Mobility Department, Nancy Brandt, Tel.: +43 505 50-6322, e-mail:nancy.brandt@ ait.ac.at, Web: www.ait. ac.at/mobility
30-33.indd 32
Photos: AIT, Magna Steyr, 123rf
Battery test equipment
Yet at the Mobility Department researchers are already looking to the future and thinking beyond the lithium battery era. “Theoretically of course other light metals are also suitable for use in batteries. A particularly promising candidate for next generation batteries is, for example, magnesium”, says Trifonova. This is the approach being taken in the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) project MagIC (Magnesium Ion Cell), which is being carried out in cooperation with VARTA micro innovation, AVL and Graz University of Technology (TU Graz). Using a wafer thin magnesium foil as a metallic anode, a magnesium compound as a cathode and an improved electrolyte, the light metal energy storage system constitutes an important step towards next generation batteries. The benefit of this future-oriented concept lies in the fact that the energy density of the planned cell is twice that of lithium-ion cells and thanks to the magnesium anode it is also 24 times cheaper. Furthermore, Austria is rich in magnesium deposits by contrast to lithium, which mainly comes from South America. There’s a major challenge - this innovative electrochemical system represents completely new territory in research as the individual components need to be developed and adapted from scratch. “In Europe, we are the first to have started work on concrete developments in this area”, says Trifonova proudly. “This initiative aims to pool Austrian expertise in the field of magnesium-ion cells in order to give Austrian industry the leading edge in this future-oriented technology.” There is already strong interest in the magnesium cell at European level – shortly after the launch of the project last year research groups from Germany and Sweden expressed their interest in cooperating on the topic. ///
22.05.14 13:42
MOBILITY
33
DI DR. NIKOLAUS HOCHGATTERER, HEAD OF DEPARTMENT FOR ADVANCED DEVELOPMENT & CELL TECHNOLOGY AT MAGNA STEYR BATTERY SYSTEMS, ON THE IMPORTANCE OF BATTERY RESEARCH FOR ELECTRIC MOBILITY.
RESEARCH SERVICES The AIT Mobility Department has positioned itself as a recognised development centre for electric drive concepts and has continuously expanded its battery expertise. AIT has now established a state-of-the-art Battery Materials Laboratory to provide the industry with materials science know-how for developing batteries of the next generation. Materials synthesis and optimisation The laboratory develops new battery materials with customised properties and synthesises these materials using wet-chemical, solid state, mechanochemical and/or electrochemical methods. Another focus is on the optimisation of existing electrode materials by surface or structural (doping or substitution) modification.
Photos: AIT, Magna Steyr, 123rf
Materials characterisation The laboratory can draw on a wide range of non-destructive analytical methods to obtain detailed information about the structure and chemical composition of the materials. The methods include X-ray spectrometry, electron-induced X-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy coupled with an energy dispersive detector, multiplex gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer, granulometry, etc. Long years of accreditation and participation in international round-robin tests ensure quality assured data for industrial development. Cell assembly and testing In the cell laboratory the new electrode materials are assembled into half and full cells. In-depth electrochemical analysis is followed by implementation in laboratory prototypes of button and pouch cells. Battery tests The Battery Test Laboratory complements the materials know-how with services in the fields of cell characterisation, safety and abuse tests, post mortem analysis, environmental simulations and ageing tests for cells, batteries and packages. ///
30-33.indd 33
Dr. Hochgatterer, what motivated Magna Steyr as a leading supplier in the automotive industry to become actively involved in the development of batteries for electric vehicles? Magna Steyr recognised the trend towards electrified drive concepts some time ago and began developing alternative solutions. As a supplier of complete vehicle development, coverage of all vehicle components and in particular their interaction with one another in the vehicle – is of key importance. The build-up and extension of battery development expertise has thus become a key topic. The Magna Steyr parent company, Magna, is actively involved in the field of electric mobility – not just in the development of batteries but also in power electronics and engines. Your company has cooperated with AIT in the battery sector for many years now. What aspects of this cooperation do you regard as being particularly important? Magna and AIT have developed an excellent working relationship in the field of electric mobility over many years of cooperation on a range of national and international projects. In particular, we appreciate the broadranging expertise from materials development for energy storage cells through to electronics solutions and testing services for serial production readiness. This facilitates a joint understanding of the technological goals in the field of energy storage. Our cooperation provides efficient support in market-oriented, industrial pre-development. With its new 600 volt testing facility, AIT offers testing of entire battery systems. What are the benefits of this enhanced infrastructure for Magna Steyr and for industry partners in general? The comprehensive testing facilities provide Magna Steyr Battery Systems with flexible and rapid assistance in the case of resource bottlenecks. They also enable us to carry out tests with special requirements. Branches of industry which do not have their own test resources are given the possibility of having specific tests carried out locally. What role does cell chemistry play in the cell selection for modules and battery systems, and can material analyses make a contribution in this context? The cell is the main component of any energy storage system. That’s why a proper understanding of effects and impacts is essential. This knowledge again plays a major role in the specific selection for automotive products, such as those produced by Magna Steyr. Material analyses of cell components carried out before and after different tests enable conclusions to be drawn regarding the ageing and safety behaviour of cells. Furthermore, the evaluation of causes of damage or quality requirements testing is only possible using analytical methods. Detailed analysis of the cell structure and cell materials is needed to provide information on the ideal operating conditions for energy storage cells. The analysis is thus of intrinsic importance in the optimum design of battery systems. ///
22.05.14 13:42
34
➜ EVENTS
INNOVATION CALENDAR 12 – 14 MAY: “AUSTRIAN MATERIALS FORESIGHT” FUTURE CONFERENCE - FORUM FOR METALLURGY AND MATERIALS ENGINEERING The AIT Innovation Systems Department organises the “Austrian Materials Foresight” Future Workshop together with Montanuniversität Leoben and the Austrian Society for Metallurgy and Materials (ASMET). Venue: Leoben Information: www.asmet.at 16 – 17 May: 12th EMVA Business Conference 2014 The 12th Business Conference of the European Machine Vision Association (EMVA) is the first machine vision highlight of the year. The conference unites business leaders and technical experts from Europe and around the world. Venue: Vienna Information: www.emva.org/vienna 19 – 23 May: Smart Grids Week 2014 The Smart Grids Week is THE meeting point of industry, grid operators, research and administration when it comes to smart power infrastructures. The Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology (bmvit) hosts the Smart Grids Week in cooperation with one of the key players of the Austrian smart grids community – in 2014 this will be Energie Steiermark. Venue: Graz Information: Helfried Brunner 20 May: M2M Forum 2014 The forum provides a visionary outlook and highlights the current status of M2M business. Topics include e.g. mobile payment and industry 4.0. Venue: Vienna Information: http://m2m-forum.at 21 – 23 May: PhotoVoltaic Technical Conference (PVTC) 2014 The aim of the conference is to reinforce collaboration between researchers and industrial partners in the field of photovoltaics in order to promote the technical development of new generations of solar cells. Venue: Aix-en-Provence Information: Marcus Rennhofer 22 May: E-Mobility & Energy Management (EEM 2014) The New Design University St. Pölten organises the first symposium on E-Mobility & Energy Management in cooperation with AIT. The aim is to establish networks between research and industry and to present the latest results in the field. Venue: St. Pölten Contact: Dragan Šimiˇ c 22 – 23 May: Book Presentation SKIN Presentation of the book “SKIN: Simulating Knowledge Dynamics in Innovation Networks” with contributions from the AIT Innovation Systems Departments, published by Springer Verlag. Venue: Budapest Information: cress.soc.surrey.ac.uk/SKIN/ 22 – 23 May: eHealth 2014 “Health Informatics meets eHealth” The scientific conference presents the latest research results highlighting the benefits of information technology for the healthcare sector. Venue: Vienna Information: http://www.ehealth20xx.at/
26 – 30 May: E-MRS 2014 SPRING MEETING The conference will be the largest ever organised by the European Materials Research Society (E-MRS). The programme includes 30 parallel symposia, plenary sessions and an exhibition. Venue: Lille, France Information: Theodoros Dimopoulos 02 – 06 June: Intersolar Europe 2014 The Intersolar Europe is an international exhibition and congress for the solar industry. Some 2,200 exhibitors will present their latest products and services in the areas of photovoltaics, PV production technologies and solar thermal technologies. Venue: Munich Information: Wolfgang Hribernik/Christoph Mayr 3 – 4 June: 22nd International Symposium EURO – Zel 2014 This international symposium focuses on rail (freight) transport and addresses topics such as safety, ICT, energy and Horizon 2020. Venue: Zilina, Slovakia Information: www.zu-zel.sk/ 4 – 5 June: 2nd Research and Technology Symposium of the Police – 2014 The symposium is organised by the German Police University (DHPol) together with AFCEA Bonn e.V. (user forum for telecommunications technology, computers, electronics and automation) and will also feature a technical exhibition. Venue: Münster-Hiltrup Information: www.ausstellung-forsympol.com/ 12 June: FSV Transportation Day The FSV Transportation Day is organised annually by the Austrian Association for Research on Road – Rail – Transport (FSV). Some 350 experts from across the transport sector are expected to attend the conference. Venue: Vienna Information: www.fsv.at 15 – 19 June: 14th International Conference on Aluminium Alloys (ICAA 2014) The ICAA is one of the most renowned international aluminium conferences. This year’s conference will focus on topics such as recycling and sustainability. Venue: Trondheim, Norway Information: www.ntnu.edu/icaa14 01 – 02 July: Future Congress on State & Administration The second Future Congress will bring together some 1,300 decisionmakers from federal, regional and local authorities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and representatives of innovative companies. Discussions will be held in 12 Future Forums and 48 Best Practice Dialogues. Venue: Berlin Information: www.zukunftskongress.info 02 – 03 July: Medizin Innovativ - MedTech Pharma 2014 The interdisciplinary congress provides a forum for presenting and discussing a wide range of topics from the medical technology and pharmaceutical sectors. The congress offers an information and networking platform for science, industry, health insurance companies, clinics and other interested parties. Venue: Nurnberg Information: www.medtech-pharma.de
➜ SCIENTIFIC PAPER
AIT TOP JOURNAL PAPERS /// Current research results of AIT scientists recently published in high-impact international journals. /// Andrea Campisano1, Lino Ometto1, Stéphane Compant2, Michael Pancher1, Livio Antonielli1 2, Claudio Varotto1, Gianfranco Anfora1, Ilaria Pertot1, Angela Sessitsch2, Omar Rota-Stabelli1 INTERKINGDOM TRANSFER OF THE ACNE CAUSING AGENT, PROPIONIBACTERIUM ACNES, FROM HUMAN TO GRAPEVINE Molecular Biology and Evolution, First published online: February 19, 2014 Here we report the surprising and, to our knowledge, unique example of horizontal interkingdom transfer of a human opportunistic pathogen (Propionibacterium acnes) to a crop plant (the domesticated grapevine Vitis vinifera L.). Humans, like most organisms, have established a long-lasting cohabitation with a variety of microbes, including pathogens and gut-associated bacteria. Studies which have investigated the dynamics of such associations revealed numerous cases of bacterial host switches from domestic animals to humans. Much less is, however, known about the exchange of microbial symbionts between humans and plants. Fluorescent in-situ hybridization localized P. acnes in the bark, in xylem fibers, and, more interestingly, inside pith tissues. Phylogenetic and population genetic analyses suggest that the establishment of the grapevine-associated P. acnes as obligate endophyte is compatible with a recent transfer event, likely during the Neolithic, when grapevine was domesticated. We propose to name this P. acnes type Zappae (herafter named P. Zappae)3
H. Torres4, D. Horwatitsch5, M. Varga4, M. Schuster6, K. Adam7, M. Rodríguez Ripolla4 HOT SHEARING PROCESSES: CORRELATION OF NUMERICAL SIMULATION WITH REALWEAR PHENOMENA Tribology International, available online 18 February 2014 Metal sheet shearing is a necessary procedure for dimensional control during steel forming. Due to extreme operating conditions, shearing blades suffer from severe wear and need frequent repair, causing high maintenance costs. In order to increase the lifetime of cutting blades, FEM simulation of the metal shearing process was performed, implementing a hybrid friction coefficient based on data obtained from a newly developed forming tribometer. A good correlation was found between the shape of the sheared work piece as predicted by the FEM model and as found in the real application. Finally, a relationship is proposed between stress and temperature distributions as calculated by the simulation and shearing blade areas most affected by wear. /// 1
2
3
4 5
Ch. Reichl, F. Hengstberger, Ch. Zauner HEAT TRANSFER MECHANISMS IN A COMPOUND PARABOLIC CONCENTRATOR: COMPARISON OF COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS SIMULATIONS TO PARTICLE IMAGE VELOCIMETRY AND LOCAL TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENTS Solar Energy Volume 97 (November 2013) 436–446 Particle image velocimetry (PIV) and local temperature measurements have been carried out on a lab-scale compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) collector model for various absorber temperatures and tilt angles. The results of these experiments are compared to computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations of the velocity field and temperature distribution. We found that transient simulations in 3D are required for a detailed reproduction of the natural convection currents obtained by PIV. Steady calculations in 2D, which are computationally much cheaper, lead to a reasonable overall agreement of the velocity field. The temperatures recorded at the mirror and the glass cover are well matched by the simulations, provided that the resolution of the mesh is fine enough to allow heat conduction along the thin features of the geometry (mirror and tube). With this knowledge we studied several scenarios, which are important for applications (reduced air pressure, inert gas fillings, temperature dependent material parameters) or physically interesting (effects of radiation and gravity). Finally, we demonstrate the level of detail, which can be obtained with these simulations: it is possible to separate the individual heat transfer mechanisms (conduction, convection and radiation) and to quantify their contributions to the heat loss of the collector.
6
7
Sustainable Agro-Ecosystems and Bioresources Department, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, via E. Mach 1, 38010, S. Michele all’Adige (TN), Italy AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Department of Health & Environment, Bioresources Unit, Konrad-Lorenz-Strasse 24, A-3430, Tulln, Austria named after the Italian term “zappa” (hoe) as well as a tribute to eccentric composer Frank Zappa, to highlight the unexpected and unconventional habitat of this P. acnes type. AC2T research GmbH, Viktor-Kaplan-Straße 2 D, 2700 Wiener Neustadt, Austria LKR Leichtmetallkompetenzzentrum Ranshofen GmbH, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 26, 5282 Ranshofen, Austria Aerospace & Advanced Composites GmbH, Viktor-Kaplan-Straße 2, 2700 Wiener Neustadt, Austria voestalpine Stahl GmbH, voestalpine Straße 3, 4020 Linz, Austria
35
SAVE THE DATE
Research and innovation at the crossroads August 21–23, 2014 Congress Centrum Alpbach/Tyrol Information: www.alpbach-technologyforum.com, claudia.klement@ait.ac.at
ATION R T S I REG ON
COOPERATION PARTNERS
ch.org
alpba www.
ORGANIZERS
SCIENTIFIC PARTNERS
MEDIA PARTNER