Formal inauguration of Prof. Dr. Martin Braun as head of the Fraunhofer Institute

In his welcoming address, Timon Gremmels, Hessian Minister for Science, Research, Art and Culture, welcomed Prof. Braun to his new position as Institute Director. Gremmels emphasized the importance of the work of the Fraunhofer IEE and underlined the role of renewable energies in the energy transition: "Alongside energy saving, the expansion of renewable energies is the most important step towards a climate-friendly, secure, sustainable and, above all, affordable energy supply. Research at Fraunhofer IEE is making an irreplaceable contribution to solving this challenge facing humanity."

Prof. Constantin Häfner, Executive Board Member for Research and Transfer at the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, also paid tribute to Prof. Braun: "In Prof. Braun, we have gained an outstanding expert who has not only shaped the scientific excellence of the Fraunhofer IEE for many years, but has also made a significant contribution to the practical implementation of research results in industry. His expertise and commitment to the energy transition and sustainable technologies are of crucial importance to the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and make a valuable contribution to the transformation of our energy supply."

Prof. Martin Braun, who has played a decisive role in shaping the development of the Fraunhofer IEE for many years, considers the management of the Institute to be a central responsibility. "The energy transition is one of the greatest challenges of our time. At Fraunhofer IEE, we develop sustainable, intelligent energy systems and thus make an active contribution to a secure and climate-neutral future with our research," explains Braun. With over 400 employees, the Fraunhofer IEE pursues the goal of developing innovative solutions for the design and automation of energy plants and the entire energy system. Braun attaches particular importance to close cooperation with partners from science and industry.

Since the beginning of his doctorate in 2005, in which Prof. Braun dealt with the provision of system services through decentralized generation, his scientific focus has been on the integration of renewable energies into power grids. In addition to his work as Institute Director, he is also Professor of Sustainable Electrical Energy Systems at the University of Kassel, which further strengthens the links between the university and Fraunhofer IEE. The President of the University of Kassel, Prof. Dr. Ute Clement, emphasizes: "The close connection between the university and Fraunhofer IEE is of great value for the transformation to a sustainable energy supply."

The inauguration was moderated by Dr. Susanne Nies, Project Manager of the Energy and Information Department at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin. In the subsequent panel discussion "Mastering the challenges of the energy transition together", experts from science, business and politics discussed solutions and opportunities for cooperation in order to drive forward the success of the energy transition.

The "Sustainable and Smart Energy Systems" expert forum in the afternoon offered a more in-depth look at the Fraunhofer IEE's key research areas. The Institute's current key topics - resilience, digitalization and sector coupling - were highlighted and discussed by representatives from industry and science as key factors for the future design of the energy supply.