Plastics for renewable energies

Innovative plastics solutions for alternative energy applications

Renewable energies are increasingly coming into focus when it comes to finding more climate-friendly and efficient solutions for energy production.
Many companies, especially international and large global players, are therefore increasingly focused on green technologies. Ensinger has reliably accomodated the technological change in these industries as a long-standing partner of many OEMs.
With our value chain from compound to finished component, we offer comprehensive complete plastic solutions for components in the automotive industry or storage technology, for example. Thanks to our high level of expertise in material development along with application and production technology, we can also advise our customers quickly and reliably.

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Solutions for sustainable mobility

The automotive, rail, marine, and aerospace industries are systematically converting relevant components to meet the requirements of climate neutrality. The challenges lie in the core areas of battery technology, hydrogen technology, and the peripheral parts around the main components, as well as in the infrastructure to be built (such as charging stations) for future climate-neutral mobility.
Ensinger offers important and ecologically suitable solutions for all these fields of technology. For example, components such as bipolar plates and end plates for hydrogen applications in the automotive industry are developed with our partners and transferred to large-scale production via our own value-added processes (such as injection molding for example). Here, Ensinger can draw on its many years of experience with OEMs to help facilitate all forms of mobility.

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Solutions around the storage technology

Distributed energy producers, such as wind turbines, require sophisticated technologies to store the excess power they generate. Whether in the production of green hydrogen or in the storage of electricity in large batteries,
this is where engineering plastics often excel because they can be used at high temperatures in many components, and guarantee a reliable service life. Thanks to our many years of experience and broad solutions offering, Ensinger is in a position to supply customer and application-specific compounds and composites.

CORE APPLICATION AREAS - innovative plAstic solution for renewable energies

Hydrogen production and plastics

The production of hydrogen is an essential key to the energy transition. Hydrogen is used to power cars, trucks, vans, trains, ships and other means of transport in a climate-neutral way. In addition, hydrogen is used as a storage element for wind and water power, solar energy and heat pumps. Ensinger is already supporting the development and supply of corresponding materials in all sectors of the hydrogen value chain, from hydrogen production to the consumer.

A wide range of applications arise in the production, storage and distribution of hydrogen. Both in the storage of liquid hydrogen at -253 °C and in pressurized storage tanks with pressures up to 700 bar, polyimide plastic is characterised by excellent compressive strength and toughness in the cryogenic range as well as low creep tendencies. Typical applications are found in valve seats and bodies, seals and bushings for tanks, pipelines and fittings.
Ensinger offers non-meltable polyimides under the name TECASINT that meet these requirements. These have already been successfully tested in innovative development projects where other high-performance materials have failed.

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Plastics for fuell cell technology

Hydrogen fuel cells are regarded as highly efficient power generators that produce/generate electrical energy by reversing water electrolysis. Due to their low emissions and good efficiency, there are numerous international efforts to further develop fuel cell technology. The Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) is often the focus of these efforts.

fuell cell components

Plastics and biogas production

Whether in agriculture or via disposal of biomaterials, the generation of energy from methane by means of electrolysis is a promising technology in the environment of the regenerative energy turnaround.
In cooperation with international technology leaders, Ensinger develops and supplies suitable plastic solutions for this demanding field of application.

Modern batteries

"Battery 2030" and other global projects show that battery technology is one of the important core topics for a wide variety of applications: these applications are important for thermal storage, short-term storage, local small-scale storage, decentralized large-scale batteries and centralized storage power plants.

In order to define innovative materials for existing productions, but also for further developments, interfaces between OEMs and plastics manufacturers like Ensinger are of utmost importance. This is the only way to find materials that meet the OEMs' production processes on the one hand and new requirements such as recycling (circular economy) on the other. As a supplier of high-performance plastics, Ensinger is involved in the development of materials together with OEMs, e.g. for post-lithium batteries (redox flow, lithium-ion, solid-state lithium-ion, lithium-air, lithium-sulfur, etc.).

High performance plastics for wind turbines

Wind turbines in their decentralized structure, together with storage technology for periodically unneeded energy, are a core technology of the energy transition. Ensinger supplies not only the materials for the main components of the drive structure, but also the materials for the corresponding modules of the electronics.

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Electricity through plastics - photovoltaics and solar thermal energy

The manufacture of solar systems for thermal or electrical energy generation is a complex process that places high demands on the materials used. In addition to silicon wafers, which form the basis of solar thermal energy, high performance plastics are also an important part of the process. Ensinger offers suitable materials and products with a large portfolio of solutions.

Benefits for renewable energy industry

Immediately ready for use

Our team close to you. Your components flexibly and quickly on site, regardless of their complexity.

Robust materials

Certain materials have a high resistance to hydrogen and resist all common lubricants. In addition, they are not susceptible to corrosion. In mobile applications, they also resist external influences such as vibration or UV radiation. The selection of suitable materials has an immense impact on the service life of your application.

Complete and „on time“

Fast and cost-effective availability of your finished component on the basis of a wide-ranging inventory
Cost-effective production, as your parts can be manufactured from available stock, which in turn is produced in high numbers and with short lead times.

Order-related and transparent

Due to the consistent documentation during the individual process steps, continuous traceability all the way back to the raw material is standard at Ensinger. Ensinger also issues customer-specific conformities on request.

Complete project support - your one-stop shop

Ensinger value chain for the renewable energy industry

We accompany you through all phases of the product life cycle, from development and selection of the appropriate material for your prototypes, to large-scale production. We are your one-stop supplier for high-performance plastics in the mobility sector.

finished parts from ensinger for renewable energy

products from Ensinger for renewable energy

Engineering SOLUTIONS FOR ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF MOBILITY AND STORAGE TECHNOLOGY

Electrically insulating and conductive plastics

In all components ranging in electrical activity from electrically insulating to electrically conductive plastics, Ensinger high-performance materials offer significant advantages over high-priced metals.

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Plastics with low outgassing

Components for hydrogen applications in particular require components that do not negatively influence the desired chemical processes through outgassing of volatile organic compounds. Ensinger can reliably assess its own materials and provide customers with targeted advice.

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Non-flammable plastics

For many technologies in industry in general, but especially in the battery cell and hydrogen area, Ensinger can comply with important standards in aerospace (such as FAR 25.853), which specify strict requirements for flammability, smoke formation and toxicity. The currently developing standards, for example for hydrogen applications, are continually monitored and taken into account for our production materials.

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Solid materials

The specific strength of the materials and especially the temperature resistance in various components of the application is also an essential factor of the service life of the products in the hydrogen sector.
Ensinger is in a position to deliver the highest and, above all, the most consistent quality to customers when it comes to the traceability of batches and documented material certificates per production run.

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Contact

We will be happy to provide you with individual advice on our solutions - get in touch with us using the contact form.