In this interview, Prof. Dr. Bruno Burger, Senior Scientist at Fraunhofer-Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, discusses his pioneering work in solar energy and the development of the Energy Charts platform. Prof. Dr. Burger shares insights on the challenges of providing real-time energy data, the growing influence of renewable energy in Germany, and the future roles of battery storage and hydrogen. He also touches on policy needs and how transparent data can reshape public and governmental views on renewables. Dive into this conversation to uncover key insights into the future of solar energy.
Sven Ossler: Hello everyone, and warmly welcome to this interview with Prof. Dr. Bruno Burger. My name is Sven Ossler. I work in the solar energy industry in Germany, and today, we have with us a very well-known figure in the industry, Mr. Bruno Burger.
He is behind a platform called Energy Charts, which provides extensive data on energy production and consumption in Germany. You can track various energy sources over long periods, even as far back as the 1950s. It’s fascinating because, contrary to some media narratives, you can clearly see the profound impact renewable energies have had on Germany’s energy landscape, especially over the last few decades.
It’s an astonishing platform with freely accessible data for everyone, and Mr. Burger, a scientist and engineer at Fraunhofer ISE, has been at the forefront of solar energy development for over 20 years. Welcome to the interview, Mr. Burger.
Bruno Burger: Hello, Mr. Ossler, and thank you for having me.
Sven Ossler: Bruno, your journey in renewable energy began during your university days when you made your apartment independent of conventional electricity suppliers. How did this early experience influence your approach to solar energy research and development throughout your career? This was in the late 80s, so it’s quite astonishing how early you were involved in this field.
Bruno Burger: Yes, I studied at the University of Karlsruhe, and at that time, we had many discussions about whether nuclear energy would be needed in the future. I always believed that we didn’t need nuclear energy and favored wind and solar. My colleagues, however, supported nuclear, and we had many debates. But at some point, I realized that discussing wasn’t enough, so I started taking action. In 1988, I bought my first solar module, a Siemens module with 38 watts of power.
I used that module to charge a 12-volt lead-acid battery and disconnected my apartment from the conventional grid. This setup worked fine until Christmas, but during winter, there wasn’t enough sunlight. By January, I had to buy a second solar module to make it through the darker months. However, in the spring, my battery was full by 10 o’clock in the morning, and I was wasting solar energy. So, I built my first solar inverter, which had a power output of 40 watts.
Sven Ossler: Wow! That’s quite impressive. Even in the 1980s, you managed to run your apartment independently of traditional energy suppliers?
Bruno Burger: Yes, I was fully independent. I had to convert everything to 12 volts, but it worked. I even found a television set in the bulky rubbish on the street, which ran on 12 volts, along with my radio and other devices.
Sven Ossler: That’s an incredible testament to solar energy, even back then. I think that’s a fact many people should hear, especially those still doubting the potential of solar power.
Now, let’s talk about the Energy Charts platform, which you developed. It has become a critical tool, especially since the energy crisis following the Ukraine war, in showing real-time data on energy developments in Germany. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in creating this platform, and how did you overcome them?
Bruno Burger: There were many challenges. We started around 2011 or 2012 by manually creating charts and turning them into PowerPoint slides and PDFs. However, the data constantly changed, even retroactively for up to two months. So, the idea came up to automate everything. By 2014, we launched an online platform where scripts collect and calculate all the data automatically. We now have servers gathering data from around 10 to 15 sources every hour, and we update the Energy Charts platform hourly to provide the most up-to-date information.
Sven Ossler: Could you quickly explain the data we see in the graphs you’re showing right now?
Bruno Burger: Yes, Energy Charts brings together freely available data on the energy transition in Germany and Europe. We don’t generate the data ourselves but collect it to provide a clear overview of electricity production, renewable energy percentages, and other metrics. Our most frequently used graph shows the electricity production for European countries, with real-time updates every hour. You can see how energy production is divided between solar, wind, and fossil fuels, along with forecasts for the coming day.
Sven Ossler: That’s great. I see that for 2024, renewable energy accounted for 65.6% of electricity fed into the public grid in Germany. How do you see the future of solar energy in Germany, especially considering its growing share of the energy mix?
Bruno Burger: We need to keep increasing the installed capacity of solar and wind power. Additionally, we now need to focus on battery storage to manage the high production levels during noon and store excess energy for evening consumption, when demand is higher and electricity prices peak. By 2030, we’ll also need to start producing hydrogen to power industries and eventually re-electrify in winter when renewable production is low.
Sven Ossler: So, battery storage would be for short-term needs, while hydrogen could serve as a long-term solution for seasonal energy storage?
Bruno Burger: Exactly. First, we’ll use hydrogen for industries that currently rely on natural gas, and later, around 2040, we’ll use it for electricity generation, particularly during winter in times when solar and wind energy are insufficient.
Sven Ossler: Given your decades of experience in solar energy, how do you view the current pace of solar adoption in Germany? Are there any specific policies or innovations needed to accelerate the transition?
Bruno Burger: Right now, it’s like Christmas for us in the industry—solar module prices are incredibly low, which is something we’ve been waiting for over 40 years. The challenge now lies with grid management and storage solutions. We always need policies to support renewables, but we also need policies that increase the costs for fossil fuels to make renewables even more competitive.
Sven Ossler: And how has the transparency provided by platforms like Energy Charts impacted public and governmental perceptions of renewable energy?
Bruno Burger: It’s been crucial. With Energy Charts, we can show real-time, accurate data that dispels myths—such as the idea that Germany is now dependent on coal or nuclear imports. For example, even after phasing out nuclear energy, we haven’t increased coal use, as some had feared. The data speaks for itself, and that has shifted the narrative significantly.
Sven Ossler: Thank you so much for these insights, Bruno. It’s been an incredibly enlightening conversation. Your work has undoubtedly contributed significantly to the renewable energy transition, and it’s clear there is much more to come.
Bruno Burger: Thank you. Everyone can contribute to the energy transition, whether by installing solar panels, driving electric cars, or simply walking to the bakery. Every little action counts.
Sven Ossler: A wonderful note to end on. Thank you, Bruno, for your time and for sharing your expertise.