Fraunhofer Center for Energy and Systems ZESSThe Fraunhofer Center for Energy Storage and Systems ZESS in Braunschweig develops innovative, sustainable, and safe battery and hydrogen technologies. The focus is on pioneering solid-state batteries as next-generation mobile and stationary storage technologies, as well as innovative hydrogen technologies such as POWERPASTE. The aim is to transfer sustainable technologies from research into industrial application and thus contribute to a more environmentally friendly future.
With state-of-the-art equipment and highly specialized laboratories, Fraunhofer ZESS offers a powerful infrastructure for research, development, prototyping, and scaling. The new research building at Braunschweig Research Airport comprises around 3,400 m² of laboratory and office space, including dry rooms for cell production, energy-efficient building services, photovoltaic systems, and a CO₂-reduced wood-steel hybrid construction with a green roof.
The center is supported by the Fraunhofer Institutes IST, IFAM, and IKTS in close cooperation with the Technical University of Braunschweig and the Battery LabFactory Braunschweig (BLB). This interdisciplinary partnership brings together scientific excellence in the fields of materials science, production engineering, and system integration. In addition, the Fraunhofer Center for Energy Storage and Systems ZESS is part of the Braunschweig LabFactories for Batteries and more, or BLB+ for short, a regional network that brings together leading research institutions in Lower Saxony to further develop sustainable batteries and energy converters and actively shape the future of the energy and mobility transition. As a member of the Fraunhofer Battery Alliance, Fraunhofer ZESS is also part of a Germany-wide network of excellent battery research and, together with partners, is shaping the development of tomorrow's energy storage solutions.
The center sees itself as a partner for companies, start-ups, and public clients and acts as an interface between industry and science. Together, innovative technologies are developed, tested, and transformed into marketable products – for a sustainable energy future and the technological sovereignty of Germany and Europe.
Supported by the state of Lower Saxony, Fraunhofer ZESS offers a joint, high-performance research and transfer platform for the development of battery and hydrogen technologies in the field of electromobility and for stationary storage systems as key components of the energy transition. The combined expertise of the participating institutes IST, IFAM, and IKTS, as well as the Battery LabFactory Braunschweig, makes it possible to bring mobile and stationary storage technologies to market maturity and develop them into prototype-ready solutions and systems.