DFG funds expansion of scientific equipment infrastructure at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Professor Stefan Kornhuber has every reason to be happy. Last December, shortly before Christmas, he received confirmation that his application for a "High-voltage DC test facility 800 kV" had been approved by the German Research Foundation. The DFG is funding the expansion of scientific equipment infrastructures at 16 universities of applied sciences with a total funding volume of 15 million euros.
A year ago in March, the DFG launched a large-scale equipment campaign for universities of applied sciences (HAW). "This funding measure, which is specially tailored to HAW, aims to supplement and further expand existing good equipment infrastructure with a view to knowledge-oriented research," explains Prof. Kornhuber.
Embedded in the structural and scientific priorities of the universities, the funding opens up the potential of these facilities for research, explains the Professor of High Voltage Technology/Theoretical Electrical Engineering. With this starting point, further DFG projects cannot be ruled out.
The large-scale equipment campaign supports the procurement of scientific equipment. Funds for accompanying measures and personnel are also to be provided.
The DFG's Joint Committee followed the funding recommendations of the responsible evaluation panel, the Committee for Scientific Equipment and Information Technology, and decided to fund 16 proposals of outstanding quality at its December meeting. Prof. Kornhuber: "For me personally and for my staff, the funding approval for our proposed high-voltage DC test facility was like a big Christmas present."
At the beginning of this year, the second of a total of three calls for proposals was published as part of the large-scale equipment campaign for universities of applied sciences and the HSZG will also be taking part in this.
"The DC voltage test facility for up to 800 kV will be used in the Department of High Voltage Engineering in the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and will enable us to expand our research activities to include DC voltage applications for the first time in Zittau. Particularly in the area of the behavior of high-voltage insulators, DC voltage raises questions for experts that need to be solved for the stable operation of the currently introduced DC voltage corridors and future DC voltage grids.
In addition to an AC voltage system with up to 700 kV and a surge system with up to 1200 kV, the HSZG will in future have a DC voltage system with 800 kV. The system will support ongoing DFG projects in particular. In the future, there will be new opportunities for national and international cooperation."
Universities of Applied Sciences were each able to submit a project with a proposal volume of up to one million euros and a duration of up to five years to the DFG. The 2021 call for proposals was very well received: 72 proposals with a wide range of topics and subject areas were received.
