Modernisation of BESSY II light source
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin presents the BESSY II+ upgrade programme
At the 2024 meeting for the users of the electron storage ring BESSY II, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) presented the BESSY II+ upgrade programme. It enables world-class research at BESSY II to be further expanded and new concepts to be tested with regard to the successor source BESSY III.
Every year in December, HZB invites the users of BESSY II light source to Adlershof for an exchange of expertise. Research highlights of the year are presented and the wishes of the user community regarding future developments are discussed.
“BESSY II is now in its 27th year of operation,” says Antje Vollmer, BESSY II spokesperson. “The expectations of our users have changed over the years. They want additional infrastructures, laboratories close to the beamlines and have high expectations of the sample environment. Research interests have also changed. For example, we are seeing a strong interest in battery research and energy conversion processes.”
This is where the BESSY II+ project comes in. The aim is for BESSY to become an “operando synchrotron for the energy transition”.
A bridge to the future: the BESSY II+ project
BESSY II+ offers new experimental possibilities, especially for operando investigations. These make it possible, for example, to watch batteries or solar cells “at work”. In addition to the new “operando” possibilities, the BESSY II+ project also focuses on the two topics of “modernisation” and “sustainability”. Sustainability involves, among other things, the utilisation of waste heat from the BESSY II experimental hall. Machine learning and artificial intelligence will also be even more integrated into many processes.
Funding of BESSY II+
As part of the modernisation project, the HZB has received additional funding from the Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). “Invest BESSY II+” covers the most important investments for the project, which the BMBF is supporting to the tune of 17.45 million euros. This funding secures the development of new infrastructures, such as the SoTeXS instrument, which stands for soft-to-tender X-ray spectroscopy. This is a comprehensive concept for operando, metrological, multi-modal experiments that will be of great benefit to research into batteries and materials for energy applications.
Antje Vollmer emphasises: “BESSY II is facing up to the scientific and social challenges. The positive feedback from users encourages us to do so!”
Contact:
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB)
www.helmholtz-berlin.de/forschung/quellen/bessy/
Dr. Ina Helms
Press spokeswoman
+49 30 8062-14626
ina.helms(at)helmholtz-berlin.de
Florentine Krawatzek
Communication and Public Affairs Officer
+49 30 8062-14922
florentine.krawatzek(at)helmholtz-berlin.de
Press release HZB, 12 December 2024