Heinrich Hertz Prize 2025: Professor Janek inspires with energy research

Heinrich Hertz Prize 2025: Professor Janek inspires with energy research

On June 25, 2025, Professor Jürgen Janek was awarded the Heinrich Hertz Prize 2025 at the Energy Symposium 2025, an important conference of the KIT Energy Center and Helmholtz Energy. This prestigious award, which is presented by the EnBW Foundation and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), comes with prize money of 10,000 euros. The prize is awarded every two years for outstanding achievements in the field of electrical energy use and is named after the physicist Heinrich Hertz. Janek, renowned head of the Center for Materials Research at the Justus Liebig University in Giessen, has made a name for himself through innovative work in the field of electrochemical storage. He is also director of the Battery and Electrochemistry Laboratory (BELLA) at KIT, where he cooperates closely with BASF to develop new materials for batteries.

Janek is considered one of the most cited scientists in the world in the field of electrochemistry and is particularly valued for his contributions to the development of solid-state batteries. He has also been a member of the Leopoldina, the National Academy of Sciences, since 2022 and is viewed as a leading expert on e-mobility and the climate-friendly transformation of the energy system. His work is of central importance for the stability of the networks in times of energy transition, which would hardly be conceivable without effective storage options.

Role of energy storage in the energy transition

The energy transition is a far-reaching concept that aims to completely transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. At the same time, storing energy plays a crucial role. According to that Ariadne Project The expansion of electricity generation from renewable sources, such as wind and solar, is essential for the decarbonization of the electricity sector.

However, the fluctuating availability of these energies poses challenges. Both daily and seasonal fluctuations in electricity generation occur. Flexibility in the energy system is therefore becoming increasingly important in order to efficiently balance supply and demand. Technologies such as lithium-ion batteries, pumped storage and innovative concepts such as compressed air storage are available to ensure this flexibility.

Energy storage technologies

Compressed air storage holds a special place among the various storage technologies. These store energy mechanically using compressed air under high pressure. Energy experts report that this technology comes in a variety of forms, including compressed air tanks, salt dome caverns, and underwater balloons. The air is compressed using special compressors, with an important process for creating caverns being the sol process, which enables high volumes.

The stored mechanical energy can be converted into electrical energy by expanding the compressed air via turbines. It is crucial that temperatures are controlled during compression to avoid heat loss. In practice, however, the high temperatures generated during compression are a challenge that requires additional energy expenditure to bring the compressed air to a level suitable for the turbine.

These developments in storage technology are of central importance for future energy supplies and the ability to master the challenges of the energy transition. Professor Janek and his research make an indispensable contribution to these goals, and his recognition by the Heinrich Hertz Prize strengthens the visibility of advances in energy storage and their importance for a climate-friendly energy system.