A recent scientific publication drew the attention of the German broadcaster SWR to Prof. Christoph Kerzig from the Department of Chemistry. In a newly aired television segment, his research is presented in a way that is accessible to the general public.

The report focuses on molecular photoswitches—innovative compounds that could one day store summer solar energy in chemical bonds for use during the winter. Ideally, these energy-rich switches could be stored in basements and released when heating is needed. However, current molecules tend to excel at only one of two tasks: either efficiently storing energy or effectively absorbing sunlight. Using special dyes, researchers have managed to harness a much broader spectrum of sunlight—enabling up to six times more energy to be stored. Despite this progress, practical applications remain out of reach due to high costs and chemical instability.

👉 Learn more about this promising research in the full SWR feature:
https://www.swr.de/wissen/molekulare-photoschalter-speichern-sonnenenergie-heizen-winter-100.html