Joachim Luther

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Joachim Luther

Joachim Luther (born March 31, 1941 in Hanover ) is a German physicist .

education

Joachim Luther graduated from the Leibniz School in Hanover in 1961 . He then studied physics at the university there until 1967. His diploma thesis dealt with a topic from the field of atomic spectroscopy . He received his doctorate in 1970 at the same university in the field of experimental physics Dr. rer. nat.

Act

academic career

Luther became a research assistant at the Institute for Experimental Physics at the University of Hanover . In 1972 he was promoted to senior assistant. Just two years later, at the age of 33, he accepted an appointment as a full professor in the physics department at the newly founded University of Oldenburg in 1973 . In the following years he first devoted himself to oceanographic laser remote sensing and from 1980 to the physics of regenerative energy sources. Shortly afterwards he took over the management of the mathematics and natural sciences department as dean. From 1987 he became dean of the physics department. After focusing on the physics of renewable energies, energy meteorology and sustainable energy systems, in addition to his research and teaching activities, he became managing director of the Lower Saxony Institute for Solar Energy Research GmbH (ISFH) in 1992 . A year later, he was appointed to a professorship for solid state physics and physical fundamentals for the use of solar energy at the Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg . At the same time, Luther headed the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) from 1993 . He succeeded the institute's founder, Adolf Goetzberger .

Services of the Fraunhofer Institute ISE

This institute was expanded under the direction of Luther. In 2005, 410 people worked for this research and development center, making it one of the largest in the world in this field. About a third of this organization's budget came from industrial partners.

In the area of ​​solar-electric energy conversion, the focus was on the further development of silicon solar cells and solar cells based on III-V compound semiconductors . At the beginning of 2006, the institute was able to put an industry-compatible production line into operation for research (PV-TEC).

The institute was able to announce several photovoltaic world records for developments for solar cells :

  • Efficiency of 20.3% with multicrystalline silicon solar cells
  • Efficiency of 35% for solar cells using III-V compound semiconductors for concentrator technology
  • monocrystalline silicon solar cells only 36 micrometers thick, which consist of flexible wafers .

For the feed of the solar current in supply networks was highly efficient power electronics ( inverter ) developed which comprises up to 98% efficiency. Off-grid power supplies were promoted for applications in rural areas. The research field of micro-energy technology was set up to supply power to small electronic devices .

Storage and energy conversion technologies have been developed in the field of hydrogen technology.

Another focus of the institute was solar and energy-efficient construction . Here materials, components, procedures and architectural design processes were optimized and applied in practice. On the basis of these developments, the new building of the institute, which was occupied in 2001, was built.

Activity after retirement

After Luther retired from the University of Freiburg, he set up the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) at the request of the Singapore government . He became the first director and chief executive officer of this institute and at the same time professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS). In 2012 he returned to Germany. Since then he has worked as a consultant at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems.

Even after his retirement, Luther continued to work scientifically and published together with other authors, including on organic solar cells .

Participation in committees

Choice from two sources:

  • Member of the Supervisory Board of the International Solar Energy Society (ISES) from 1992 to 2001
  • Member, from 2005 chairman of the main commission of the Scientific and Technical Council of the Fraunhofer Society from 1995 to 2006
  • Member of the Energy Research Working Group of the Science Council of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1996 to 1998
  • Spokesman for the Solar Energy Research Association (FVS today FVEE)
  • Member of the scientific advisory board of the Hahn-Meitner-Institut , Berlin, 1997 to 2004
  • President of the EUREC Agency (Association of European Renewable Energy Research Centers) with advisory status to the European Commission from 1997 to 2002
  • Member of the Scientific Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) of the German Federal Government from 2000 to 2004
  • Member of the Expert Commission for Research and Innovation (EFI) set up by the Federal Government from 2007 to 2012
  • Coordinator for the topic of energy of the Global Research Alliance (GRA) , a cooperation of nine application-oriented research institutions.
  • Member of the Senate of the Fraunhofer Society from 2001 to 2006
  • President of the committee for the award of the annual Becquerel Prize since 2010.
  • Member of the Renewable Energies Committee of the VDI Society for Energy Technology

Awards

Source:

  • 2005 winner of the Becquerel Prize
  • 2005 Special Service Award from the International Solar Energy Society
  • 2005 Environment Prize for his contribution to the research and market introduction of solar energy systems, Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU)
  • 2005 International Rhineland Prize for Environmental Protection
  • 2006 Fraunhofer Mint
  • 2009 Achievement through Action Award from the International Solar Energy Society (ISES).

Selection of publications, editorial offices

  • Hanle effect measurements on states of even and odd parity in the Yb I spectrum. Dissertation, University of Hanover, May 26, 1970
  • Editor-in Chief Solar Energy , Elsevier, 1999 to 2002
  • Magazine Physics Journal , Wiley-VCH, spokesman for the Board of Trustees
  • Lecture on the occasion of the 20th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, Barcelona
  • William Boston: Heroes of the Environment 2008 - Joachim Luther. TIME Magazine, September 24, 2008
  • Joachim Luther, Tim Meyer: Solar energy . Springer-Verlag Berlin, 2003, ISBN 978-3-642-55562-6

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Luther, Joachim Munzinger-Archiv, 10/2006 of March 11, 2006, accessed on January 5, 2019
  2. ↑ a b c Solar actors: Prof. Joachim Luther. SolarServer.de, June 8, 2005, accessed January 5, 2019
  3. ^ History of the Fraunhofer ISE Institute. Fraunhofer ISE website, accessed January 21, 2019.
  4. ↑ a b A pioneer in photovoltaics celebrates his birthday - Professor Dr. Joachim Luther turns 75. Press release Fraunhofer ISE, March 31, 2016, accessed on January 5, 2019
  5. ↑ List of publications by Joachim Luther Google Scholar, accessed on January 7, 2019
  6. ↑ CV of Prof. Dr. Joachim Luther. Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt, 2005, accessed on January 5, 2019
  7. ↑ Becquerel Bylaws 2015 . Becquerel Prize Committee, accessed January 5, 2019
  8. ^ Previous winners of the Becquerel Prize . Becquerel Prize Committee, accessed January 5, 2019
  9. ↑ State of the art photovoltaics 2005 . Joachim Luther, accessed January 5, 2019
personal data
SURNAME Luther, Joachim
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German physicist
DATE OF BIRTH March 31, 1941
PLACE OF BIRTH Hanover