Dr. Heinz Ossenbrink, has a PhD in Physics from Hahn Meitner Institute, Berlin, and joined the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in 1982. He built up the JRC’s activity on Photovoltaics when Europe started its research and pilot programme for Photovoltaic systems. In 1995 he became Head of the Unit for Renewable Energy, and expanded research and support activities to Energy Efficiency and Bio-Energy, notably Biofuels. His work was dedicated to the scientific support of EU legislation for Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency. More recently, he developed the unit’s portfolio to support Africa’s efforts for a renewable energy supply.
Since 1982 he contributed to the standards work of the IEC TC82, Solar Photovoltaic Systems, in particular regarding calibration of reference cells and lifetime testing of PV modules. His many publications cover measurement and testing methods for photovoltaic generators, economic assessment of renewable energy and global environmental impacts of extended bio-fuel use.
Heinz Ossenbrink has been serving in the Scientific Committees and in Chair person functions of leading scientific conferences, such as the prestigious series of European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conferences and the European Biomass Conferences.