Ceramic Fuel Cells’ Managing Director Mr Brendan Dow, together with Prof. Dr. Detlev Stöver, Research Director Energy at Forschungszentrum Jülich, awarded the prize to Mr Kronemayer in a joint ceremony at the Hannover Fair, the world's leading showcase for industrial technology. At last year’s Hanover Fair Ceramic Fuel Cells announced a partnership with Forschungszentrum Jülich to collaborate on research and development for solid oxide fuel cell systems.

The prize awarded by Ceramic Fuel Cells comprises a cash payment of 2.000 Euros and a return trip to Melbourne, Australia, for a work experience internship at Ceramic Fuel Cells’ extensive research laboratory and pilot production plant. Ceramic Fuel Cells will again offer the student prize in 2008.

Mr Kronemayer, from Mannheim in Baden-Würtemberg, studied chemistry at the University of Heidelberg, before completing a PhD Project at the University of Heidelberg with Prof. Jürgen Wolfrum and the University of Duisburg-Essen with Prof. Christof Schulz.

The prize was awarded for Mr Kronemayer’s PhD work on “Laser-based temperature diagnostics in practical combustion systems”. Mr Kronemayer developed laser-based measurement methods for measuring gas temperatures with high precision in combustion systems. Measurements with such high precision have not been possible before.

One aspect of Mr Kronemayer’s work is the “direct flame fuel cell”, where the anode side of a ceramic fuel cell is placed in the hot off-gas of a burner. The unburnt fuel is used by the fuel cell to produce electricity. Mr Kronemayer’s developments can increase the power density of the fuel cell, meaning each cell can produce more power.

The judges for the prize, Dr Karl Föger, Ceramic Fuel Cells’ Chief Technology Officer, and Prof. Dr. Detlev Stöver of Forschungszentrum Jülich and other leading researchers from both organisations, commended Mr Kronemayer’s innovative work as demonstrating the immense flexibility and versatility of solid oxide fuel cell technology.

Ceramic Fuel Cells’ Managing Director Mr Brendan Dow said:
“We are delighted to award this prize to Mr Helmut Kronemeyer and we look forward to hosting him in Melbourne. Ceramic Fuel Cells wants to reward excellence and encourage students to get involved in exciting clean energy technologies. We are also building our profile in Germany with leading researchers, of today and tomorrow. This will become important as we build our factory in Heinsberg, North Rhine Westphalia, which is on schedule to be finished by June 2009.”

Mr Kronemayer said:
„I am honoured to receive this prize. I see it as a culmination of my work in this exciting field. The prize will also motivate me to continue work in this field with enthusiasm. To get this recognition for my R&D work reinforces my view that I have chosen the right career path. My special thanks go to Dr Wolfgang Bessler of the University of Heidelberg and Mr Michio Horiuchi of Shinko Electric Industries in Japan for the excellent collaboration.”