Research for a sustainable energy future

10/10/2025
Reading time 1 min.

In our video series “EXplained,” we present the seven clusters of excellence with which our university is entering the next funding phase of the Excellence Competition. This episode focuses on the e-conversion cluster, whose speakers at TUM are Prof. Jennifer Rupp and Prof. Ian Sharp.

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A thriving energy transition is crucial for tackling climate change and shape the future energy supply. While renewable sources such as solar and wind provide clean power, new methods of energy conversion and storage are necessary to ensure reliable and sustainable use. This is precisely where the e-conversion Cluster of Excellence comes in. It investigates the fundamentals of efficient energy conversion and develops approaches to make energy available long term with minimal loss.

The research focuses on controlling the fundamental mechanisms that drive energy conversion systems, reducing efficiency losses, and unlocking new functions. To achieve this, e-conversion combines new advances in nanotechnology, materials research, and data-driven approaches such as machine learning. By transforming fundamental discoveries into innovative device concepts, e-conversion strives to deliver more versatile, efficient, and robust energy solutions that contribute to a sustainable future.

We are developing new materials and tools to better understand energy processes, from rapid reactions at interfaces to long-term storage.

Prof. Ian Sharp

The cluster has been funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) since 2019 and will enter its second funding phase in 2026 as "e-conversion 2.0." In addition to the joint applicants, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Helmholtz Munich, the Max Planck Institutes for Chemical Energy Conversion and Solid State Research and other partners are involved in e-conversion.

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