Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow, Minister of Science Wolfgang Tiefensee and State Secretary Prof. Dr. Barbara Schönig today inaugurated the new building for the Center for Energy and Environmental Chemistry (CEEC Jena II) and the associated Application Center (EEZ CEEC) at Friedrich Schiller University Jena together with representatives of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. The two new research buildings will be used by twelve working groups of the university and the new "Helmholtz Institute for Polymers in Energy Applications Jena" (HIPOLE Jena) across disciplines. Both projects, with a total investment volume of 52.9 million euros, were financed with 13 million euros each from state and federal funds and 19.2 million euros from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), as well as with the support of the Carl Zeiss and Ernst Abbe Foundations and funds from the University of Jena from state allocations.
Minister-President Ramelow explains: "The CEEC is a real engine of the energy transition and has considerable signpost qualities in the important question of efficient and at the same time sustainable energy storage. Standards are also set in the field of application-oriented research. I am therefore pleased that the already excellent research landscape in Jena is being further strengthened."
"In view of the current geopolitical events, it becomes clear how important it is to invest in securing our future energy supply. Energy storage is a key issue here. The new research buildings offer battery research an optimal environment that combines basic research, application-oriented research and prototype development," said Minister of Economic Affairs Wolfgang Tiefensee. This innovative environment was ultimately also decisive for the decision to locate the "Helmholtz Institute for Polymers in Energy Applications HIPOLE" as joint research institutions of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB) and the Friedrich Schiller University Jena at the site. The Ministry of Science has funded the research work at the CEEC since 2015 to date with a total of 20.9 million euros from ERDF and state funds.