Eindhoven Institute for Renewable Energy Systems

EIRES enables a CO2-neutral energy system by developing solutions that deliver the energy transition to people’s homes in a manufacturable, scalable, and affordable way.

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Collaborate on energy transition

The Eindhoven Institute for Renewable Energy Systems (EIRES) is TU/e’s answer to the broad, multidisciplinary question that is the energy transition. EIRES facilitates the collaborative development and swift deployment of new technologies and devices by bringing together TU/e researchers working on materials, systems, and processes for energy storage and conversion.
Our approach is based around societal impact: working on fundamental challenges underlying the development of systems with the potential for rapid upscaling and market penetration. That is why we promote academic research driven by societal challenges, with close partnerships between academia and the high-tech manufacturing industry in the region. In addition, EIRES aims to take a strong place in the national debate, by stimulating the development of thought leadership in EIRES researchers through regular discussions and community-building activities.

Good solutions come in small packages

The world faces the enormous challenge of simultaneously de-fossilizing the energy, transport and (petro-)chemical sectors. Efficient conversion between energy carriers is the key technology that will enable this massive, global overhaul. A massive change does not require huge equipment, however.

TU/e and the Brainport region have unique strengths in high-tech systems and materials. EIRES aims to leverage these strengths to develop smart, fridge-scale systems that can scale through numbers, not size. This will be driven by multidisciplinary collaborative projects between the TU/e departments of Applied Physics, Built Environment, Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Industrial Engineering & Innovation Sciences.  

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Lisanne Havinga, principal scientist EIRES Focus Area - System Integration

Lisanne Havinga wants to optimize the energy transition in every home in the Netherlands.

“I was amazed all over again. Everyone came along with their own Excel sheet and calculations. No one made an effort to understand the assumptions underneath those calculations nor did they attempt to find out the real truth.”

EIRES Focus Areas

EIRES Core Team

EIRES network

Research set alight: deciphering the combustion of metal fuels

The sun and wind are not anytime and anywhere available, so how do you temporarily store that energy? A group of researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology sees a dream candidate in metal fuels: CO2-free, reusable and with a high energy density. The first results are promising, but in order to deploy the technology on a large scale, it is first necessary to fully understand and control the combustion of these metal particles. Using an Advanced Grant of 2.5 million euros from the European Research Council (ERC), Professor of Combustion Technology Philip de Goey is now going to answer this ‘burning’ question.

Related Dutch articles:

Iron fuel explained

The green energy solution for heavy industries
At present, electricity and heat producing industries and the maritime (transport) sector are jointly responsible for approximately 50% of the world's CO2 emissions. For these industries there is often no suitable alternative. To meet our climate goals, it was recently decided that the production of three coal-fired power stations in the Netherlands will be significantly reduced this year. What if we can make these plants sustainable? The solution is simple: iron fuel. Iron fuel can potentially reduce the emissions of these industries, and thereby get us closer to enabling clean and renewable energy for anyone, at any time.

READ MORE

Developing light-based materials

Light is omnipresent in our world. We see thanks to light, and light helps plants grow. But light is also crucial in technologies associated with energy, communications, and computing.
TU/e researchers Elham Fadaly and Adriana Creatore work on light, they are developing light-based materials for future computing technologies and renewable energy systems.
Both Elham and Adriana are working on materials that interact with light in different ways. Elham is developing new materials that can emit light, while Adriana is devising new materials that can absorb light and convert it to electricity in solar cells.

Listen to Elham and Adriana about their work on light in the first episode of 'Science is here', a new podcast series launched by TU/e:
Light with Elham Fadaly and Adriana Creatore

Publications

EIRES was established with the explicit aim to have an impact on the energy transition. Since the institute first and foremost is an academic endeavor, bringing together TU/e researchers working on materials, systems, and processes for energy storage and conversion, our scientific publications are an important means to disseminate our research results to our peers | All scientific publications

Working at EIRES

The Eindhoven Institute for Renewable Energy Systems (EIRES) is TU/e’s answer to the broad, multidisciplinary question that is the energy transition. EIRES facilitates the collaborative development and swift deployment of new technologies and devices by bringing together TU/e researchers working on materials, systems, and processes for energy storage and conversion. Current focus is on systems integration and systems for sustainable chemicals, sustainable fuels, and heat storage. Located in the Eindhoven Brainport region we work closely together with industrial partners to create maximum impact.

We are always looking for talented researchers with a background in mechanical, electrical or civil engineering, physics, or chemistry, that are passionate about energy research. Positions from PhD to full professor are available. If you want to help industrialize the energy transition, please see our vacancy page and join us!

How TU/e technology brings the endless power of the sun to your home (and car)

The potential of solar power is enormous: our planet intercepts some 173,000 terawatts of radiation from the sun at any time, 10,000 times more power than the planet’s population uses. Harnessing this almost endless power source has been the driving force of much research at the Eindhoven University of Technology. The research covers a broad terrain of expertise and interests, ranging from the elemental building blocks of solar cells and upscaling of technology to industrial production, to enhancing the aesthetics of solar panels or application in solar-powered cars. And with success: it is estimated that almost one third of all solar cells worldwide contain technology pioneered by our researchers. We take you step by step through the whole chain: from fundamental research in the lab to the application in everyday life.

Lignin: an affordable alternative to oil

Our oil-dependence isn't very durable. The residual stream of paper- and bio-ethanol industries provide us with an alternative: lignin. Watch this video to see the unique approach of TU/e to tailor this sustainable lignin to the oil industry. One step closer to an oil-free world, making the energy transition a reality.

Student teams

TU/e has various student teams; teams that focus on (local) energy related issues as well as internationally competing teams.

Honors team (1st year)

Bubbl/e

Bubbl/e is researching the feasibility of the BCPG: a solenoid connected to a column, in which a magnetisable fluid flows. With the help of a permanent magnet around the column and gas bubbles pumped into it, this system could potentially generate electricity. Coach: YALI TANG

Honors team (1st year)

Circular pavilion

This team designs a pavilion for Eb & Vloed September 2023 energy festival in Renesse. The pavilion is a transitional space that is designed to encourage thought and discussion on wind energy, based on the aesthetics and functionality.

Student team

Falcon

Falcon Electric Aviation aims to make existing aircraft with less than 30 passengers sustainable by developing electric power train conversion kits.

Student team

Neg-C (Negative Carbon)

Neg-C strives to provide value for humanity by mimicking the lungs of the earth. This is done by creating technological parks that can capture carbon dioxide directly from the air and, subsequently, store or utilize it to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and help combat the results of climate change.

Honors Team (2nd year)

SimEnergy

The aim of the project is to develop an algorithm for Smart Meters that disaggregates the energy consumption of households and small offices into the appliance level.

Student team

SHIFT

Kickstarting the use of hydrogen as a sustainable energy carrier by creating a smart, small-scale hydrogen energy system. SHIFT is developing a modular elektrolyser & energy management system that can convert excess green energy to hydrogen.

Student team

Solar Team Eindhoven

Solar Team Eindhoven is working on the sustainable mobility of the future and participated in the 2019 World Solar Challenge in Australia with their solar car Stella Era. This family car can also share energy and park itself autonomously in the sun to charge.

Student team

SOLID

SOLID aims to create an ecosystem for metal fuels as circular energy carriers.

Honors team (2nd year)

Team Better/e

Team Better/e aims to create an open-source iron redox flow battery setup and enable researchers and students worldwide to work side by side on improving it while sharing their findings.

Student team (former Honors)

Team CASA

Designing homes with comfort and health in mind so that people want to live in them. In addition, homes should provide a healthy indoor climate and promote a healthy lifestyle.

Student team

Team Energy

Team Energy realizes events to accelerate the transition towards sustainable energy. We aim to inform, inspire and connect students.

Honors Team (2nd year)

Team InCharge

Team InCharge focuses on the wireless charging of electric vehicles while driving (dynamic wireless charging/DWC).

Student team (former Honors)

Team Polar

Our goal is to develop a sustainable, autonomous and affordable vehicle to facilitate research on the Antarctic continent.

Student team (former Honors)

Team Renew CO2

The core mission of Renew CO2 is facilitating the sustainable utilization of carbon dioxide. It is our main goal to capture CO2. A favourable result of this is a viable resource: formic acid.

Student team (former Honors)

Team RED

Accelerate the energy transition through an innovation guiding platform. Team RED offers intuitive insight into how energy is used and how this system can be improved.

Honors team (1st year)

Team Voltalgae

Voltalgae is working on a solution for off-grid, small scale, decentralized energy needs: algae battery made from sustainable materials, continuously providing energy and less dependent on weather. Coach: HAN VAN KASTEREN.

Honors team (1st year)

TheroSel

Team TheroSel researches the viability of thermochemical energy storage and aims to establish a platform to communicate this technology to the general public. Coach: MARK COX

Honors team (1st year)

V2A (former Airport)

V2A will investigate how vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology can be implemented in parking garages P3/P4 of Eindhoven Airport to store the generated energy in an effective, innovative, and economically feasible way. Coach: MARK COX

Our partners

Current partnerships and other parties will become integrative elements of EIRES.  

  • Industry
  • Knowledge institutes
  • (Semi) Government
  • Start-ups
  • Spin-offs

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EIRES | Eindhoven Institute for Renewable Energy Systems

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