Dr Ammar Alyousef. Photograph: private.

The fact that ever more electric vehicles all need to be charged at the same time is one of the major challenges the energy transition is facing. Electric power needs to be fairly distributed between all consumers, and battery packs must be rechargeable at a practicable speed. In his doctoral thesis, Dr Ammar Alyousef investigates ways of resolving this using automated communication between charging points and grid operator. He explores the challenges power grids face on account of the growing number of electric vehicles, on the one hand, and the increasingly inconsistent power input from photovoltaic systems, on the other.

Bayernwerk AG (Bayernwerk) has now awarded him with the Kulturpreis Bayern for his work. The award in the science category is presented to the best graduates from Bavaria's 33 state universities. Each award comes with a EUR 2,000 cash prize. All winners receive the bronze "Gedankenblitz" statuette designed by sculptor Peter Mayer from the Bavarian town of Schwandorf. The award ceremony was held at the Eisbach Studios in Munich.

Crucial contribution to the development of a smart charging infrastructure

"I cannot describe the feelings when I got the letter from Bayernwerk AG telling me that I am the winner of the prize," says Dr Alyousef in the video. The computer scientist wrote his doctoral thesis at the Chair of Computer Networks and Computer Communications headed by Professor Hermann de Meer. "Dr Alyousef's research is a crucial contribution to the development of a smart charging infrastructure," explains Professor De Meer.

Dr Alyousef worked at the University of Passau from 2014 to 2021. He wrote his doctoral thesis within the framework of the EU project "ELECTRIFIC". In this project, a team with members hailing from across Europe developed smart management methods to facilitate a smart transition to e-mobility. The researchers at the University of Passau concentrated primarily on the smart integration of charging processes into the power grid.

About Kulturpreis Bayern

An expert jury selects the five art award winners, whereas the Bavarian state universities and art schools nominate their best graduates and doctoral students. Dr Egon Leo Westphal, CEO of Bayernwerk AG, insists that science plays a crucial role: "Especially now, change and progress are of major public interest. Through their work, our award winners are helping to lead our society into the future. They represent innovation power and are the shapers of the future." When it comes to shaping tomorrow's energy supply, Bayernwerk – which is due to mark its 100th anniversary this year – is invested in a continuous exchange with researchers and scientists.

Bavarian Minister of Arts and Science Markus Blume underscores: "Research and science are key to ensuring that we continue to shine in international competition going forward. In Bavaria's Hightech Agenda we are investing into an attractive and broad-based ecosystem that combines leading research institutions and the innovative spirit of enterprise. The wealth of scientific and creative ideas offered by the award winners is remarkable! It demonstrates that Bavaria offers extremely fertile ground for science and research!“