Prof. Dr. Christopher Hebling

Prof. Dr. Christopher Hebling studied Physics and worked for ten years in the field of Photovoltaics before he became Director for the Hydrogen Technologies Division at ISE with a staff of like 150 scientists, engineers and students today. He is the Spokesperson of the Fraunhofer Hydrogen Network and Board Member of the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence ‘Integrated Energy Systems’. Next to his close involvement in national strategy developments he is member of the Expert committee for the Transformation of the Automobile Industry of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. Furthermore, he is the Vice President of the German Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association and he is involved in international stakeholder processes and advisory boards of international hydrogen and fuel cell conferences. He published more than 150 journal and conference papers and is Honorary Professor at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. The Hydrogen Technologies Division conducts research in low temperature polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolysis and fuel cell systems, as well as in thermochemical processing of hydrogen for the production of synthetic fuels and chemicals. At the institute, comprehensive life-cycle assessments (LCA) and technoeconomic analyses (TEA) are conducted to analyze and optimize hydrogen systems from an economic and ecological perspective.

1992 – 1999 Scientist in the silicon solar cell department at Fraunhofer ISE
1999 – 2005 Founder and Head of the group ‘Micro Energy Technology’ (40 staff)
2001 – 2011 Head of department Energy Technologies
2018 – Co-Director Division Energy Technologies and Systems at Fraunhofer ISE (500 staff, scientists, engineers and students)
2011 – Director Business Division Hydrogen Technologies (150 staff, scientists, engineers and students, 95% external project funds)
2019 – Honorary Professorship at the University of Cape Town, South Africa