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FORTUM - Christian Breyer is Finland's first Professor of Solar Economy

Christian BreyerChristian Breyer, D.Sc. (Tech.), has been selected as Professor of Solar Economy at Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) for a period of five years starting on 1 January 2014. In particular, he will focus on future research in the area of renewable energy. This professorship is the first of its kind in Finland and the Nordic countries, and will focus on research and teaching relating to solar economy energy scenarios and market mechanisms. Fortum is supporting the professorship for five years. The professorship will strengthen LUT's teaching in electrical engineering, energy technology and environmental technology.

Breyer comes to LUT from Reiner Lemoine Institute in Germany, where he worked as managing director and scientific director. He earned his doctorate from the University of Kassel in Germany in 2012 for his research on the “Economics of Hybrid Photovoltaic Power Plants”. Prior to that he worked several years in the research and development and market development department of Q-Cells, a former world market leader in solar cell manufacturing and solar power plant engineering. He is one of the co-founders of DESERTEC Foundation, engaged in the Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme of the International Energy Agency and Chairman for Renewable Energy of the Energy Watch Group. Breyer has published approximately 60 scientific articles and 5 books as author, co-editor and contributor. His academic background is physics, energy systems engineering and general business.

Christian Breyer says, that this unique professorship offers a great chance to research and teach the great energy transition towards sustainability.

“Unlimited access to energy is the blood of modern societies but only energy on basis of solar resources will enable the survival of our global civilization. Depletion of fossil and nuclear resources, climate change impacts (like typhoon Haiyan on the Philippines) and global energy injustice are only manageable by an ecological, economical and ethical sustainable energy supply – the Solar Economy. It is a great honour and pleasure for me to start the Solar Economy professorship at LUT. In the last years, I had the chance to explore together with my research colleagues many aspects of the coming era of Solar Economy. In the next years these puzzle pieces have to be combined to better understand the complex interdependency of the great energy transition towards Solar Economy. The front runner countries gain a lot of very valuable experience in technology and business being available for export and creating economy wealth around the globe. I am proud to be part of that story in Finland.”

Jarmo Partanen, Professor and Head of LUT Energy, says that the professorship is particularly well suited to the core of LUT's strategy. One of the university's three strategic priorities is green energy and technology.

"The new Solar Economy professorship will strengthen our university's functions in the area of solar economy. Our aim is to gain a deep, system-level understanding of the transition to a carbon-free energy system and its economic, environmental and technical factors as well as those affecting competitiveness. Breyer brings top German solar economy expertise to LUT, and he is already involved in preparing broad research projects related to the area."

"I'm very pleased about Christian Breyer's appointment," says Jouni Keronen, Vice President, Innovation Development and Partnering at Fortum. "Breyer is internationally recognised and he brings high-level competence to Finland," continues Keronen.