Energy & Environmental technologies in Thuringia

The Thuringian universities offer numerous interdisciplinary degree programs. These perfectly prepare graduates for the growing market demands in energy and environmental technologies.

Energy grids and systems

The Technical University of Ilmenau combines research expertise in the fields of energy and systems engineering and has extensive experience in the operation, design, and analysis of electrical energy systems.

Environmental engineering

Innovative solutions in the areas of energy, transport, water and waste are being developed at the Bauhaus University Weimar . The future topics of ecological action, resource protection, mobility and climate change are the focus and are designed to be sustainable and socially compatible.

Green photonics

The Friedrich Schiller University provides in-depth knowledge and skills in experimental and theoretical optics and also offers specialized training programs in various subfields of optics. In Jena's high-tech environment, highly efficient technical applications of light provide ecological solutions.

• Renewable Energy Technology, Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences
• Environmental and Recycling Technology, Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences
• Photonics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena
• Biotechnology, Ernst-Abbe University of Applied Sciences Jena
• Environmental Technology and Development, Ernst-Abbe University of Applied Sciences Jena
• Electrical Power and Control Engineering, TU Ilmenau
• Renewable Energy Technology, TU Ilmenau
• Building Physics and Energy-Efficient Building Optimization, Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
• Environmental engineering, Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
• Water and Environment, Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
   

In Thuringia, specialists in energy and environmental technologies receive a solid theoretical and practical education. Private and public education providers offer a wide range of courses. Here, sound expertise and the latest technological developments are taught. There are also a number of further training opportunities, e.g. as a Energy Manager or Energy Scout with IHK certificate.

• Electronics Technician for Energy and Building Technology
• Environmental Protection Technical Assistant
• Specialist for Wastewater Technology
• Specialist for Water Supply Technology
• Specialist for Water Management
• Specialist for Circular and Waste Management
• Biology, Physics and Chemistry Laboratory Technician

Thuringia not only has an excellent research infrastructure, but also places great emphasis on cooperation between business and science.

• Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS), Hermsdorf
• Fraunhofer Institute for Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation, Department of Applied Systems Technology (IOSB-AST), Ilmenau
• Battery Innovation and Technology Center (BITC), Arnstadt
• Center for Energy and Environmental Chemistry (CEEC), Jena
• HySON – Institute for Applied Hydrogen Research Sonneberg gGmbH, Sonneberg
• IAB – Institute for Applied Building Research, Weimar
• Institute for Regenerative Energy Technology (in.RET), Nordhausen
• ThEFI Thuringian Energy Research Institute, Ilmenau
• ThIWert Thuringian Innovation Center for Recyclable Materials, Nordhausen

In Thuringia, research is being conducted on the missing links of the energy transition, such as electrical and thermal energy storage, sector coupling, and hydrogen production, transport, and storage. Leading examples include battery research at the Fraunhofer IKTS in the field of sodium-ion batteries for stationary energy storage and polymer-based redox flow batteries developed at the CEEC, which are unparalleled worldwide. Research networks such as HySON develop practical solutions along the value chain for hydrogen production. At the Technical University of Ilmenau new research approaches are emerging that enable the production of green hydrogen directly from solar water splitting.