WIP Renewable Energies was founded back in 1968 in Munich, Germany. In the early years WIP focused on the implementation of infrastructure projects around the world including consultancy work for development banks, educational centres and schools in Africa, institutional building in Maghreb countries, irrigation schemes in Sahelian countries and energy supply systems.

From 1981 to 1984 WIP Renewable Energies took part in the development of the first EU-funded photovoltaic pilot plants across Europe. Over that period, 16 demonstration systems, ranging from 30 to 300 kW, were installed in 8 countries. This action marked the beginning of WIP’s involvement with international PV energy projects.

In 1986 the European Commission entrusted WIP with the organization of the European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC). We have since been organizing the EU PVSEC recurrently and saw it grow into one of the most influential annual events for the international solar energy community. Nowadays, WIP is organising several other renewable energy related events every year, ranging from large international conferences to targeted trainings and workshops in developing countries.

WIP was involved in the development of the first photovoltaic pumping systems which were installed in North Africa. We supported the European Commission in developing first common guidelines for the conception of photovoltaic systems, which later turned into EU standard. To complement these activities, we were involved in several research projects testing storage components, mainly batteries. Starting in the early 90s WIP Renewable Energies became involved in the demonstration of innovative building integrated photovoltaic projects, with activities scaling up today to support the deployment of nearly Zero Energy Buildings in Europe.

In the late ’80s and early ’90s WIP Renewable Energies was among the founding members or an early member of several European renewable energy associations such as EPIA (now Solar Power Europe), EWEA (now Wind Europe), EUBIA (European Biomass Industry Association) and EUREC (The Association of Renewable Energy Research Centres).

Activities in the wind sector gained momentum in 1994 with the development and successful operation of three stand-alone wind powered solutions for reverse osmosis sea water desalination. From 2001 a consortium around WIP developed and tested the worlds’ first 5MW class prototype WEC in an off-shore environment. In 2012 WIP successfully completed the development of the worlds’ first 7 MW class wind turbine and the set-up of 11 such turbines in a park in Belgium.

In 2002 WIP Renewable Energies launched its activities in the field of bioenergy through the coordination of a large thematic network focusing on the establishment of a trans-national forum for the promotion of sustainable use of biomass in Latin America. Since then we have been continuously involved in the development and promotion of sustainable bioenergy applications in developing and emerging countries.

Since 2006 numerous EU funded market uptake projects on biogas and other bioenergy systems started, especially in cooperation with partners from countries with less development in the field of bioenergy. A series of publicly available handbooks on different bioenergy topics were elaborated which were translated into many languages. These books in several countries serve as reference documents for the status of the addressed technology.

And since 2007 WIP Renewable Energies has been active within several European Technology and Innovation Platforms (ETIPs) which were endorsed since 2007 to support the implementation of the European Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan. Since 2005 we lead the secretariat of ETIP PV in close cooperation with other partners in the photovoltaic sector.

Since 2010 WIP is involved in numerous European research and innovation projects focusing on the development of innovative solutions in the fields of advanced biofuels, alternative fuels for aviation, as well as bio-based chemicals and materials. A carefully designed bio-based economy will be a cornerstone of a more sustainable future of humankind.

WIP constantly seeks to identify promising emerging technologies. In 2010 it initiated a project on Salinity Gradient Power, where electricity is generated from a difference in salinity between two water solutions (for example seawater and freshwater). This resulted in 2014 in the first prototype reverse electrodialysis system in the world to be generating electricity from brine in a real environment. WIP built on this success by leading a project where the reverse electrodialysis technology is used with artificial solutions, where heat is used to regenerate the salinity difference, essentially converting low grade heat to electricity.

Since 2012 the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) entrusted WIP Renewable Energies with the implementation of a series of events in Africa in the framework of the Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP) and the associated Renewable Energy Cooperation Programme (RECP).

In recent years WIP Renewable Energies was involved in a series of studies for the European Commission (DG R&I) investigating the future prospects of potential disruptive renewable energy technologies such as artificial photosynthesis, advanced biofuels, and airborne wind technologies from a research and innovation perspective.

Over the decades WIP Renewable Energies developed its expertise in renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency, smart grid and hybrid energy applications. WIP also became a key player in the development of energy market policies and strategies. In total, WIP has contributed to over 400 renewable energy research and innovation projects.

In 2018 WIP Renewable Energies celebrates its 50th Anniversary. Still happily based in Munich and operating as a SME, we are proud of the work accomplished and look forward to having further impact towards a sustainable energy future in the years ahead.