Above the roofs of Ingolstadt

From the roof of the THI, you not only have a beautiful view of the Ingolstadt skyline but also of the newly installed photovoltaic system, which Minister of State Markus Blume and THI President Walter Schober ceremoniously put into operation. Its output of 99 kW could supply approximately 250 Ingolstadt households. "I am pleased that we can inaugurate this plant today," THI President Schober emphasized to the Minister of State and the guests present, including Dr. Reinhard Brandl, MdB, and Alfred Grob, MdL. "Further roofs of THI will be retrofitted quickly so that we will be able to generate around 600 kWp of solar energy in the end," said Schober.

Science Minister Markus Blume was pleased with the rapid implementation of the project: "Our most dynamic university in Bavaria has won the race. THI is the first university to commission a PV system from the 125 million program 'Photovoltaics on State Roofs'. The PV system closes the (electricity) circle here because THI is an absolute energy expert. The Institute for New Energy Systems, InES, is already a flagship in the field of secure and efficient energy supply with renewable energies. Research and application go hand in hand in Ingolstadt," Blume pointed out. "You can tell here. In Bavaria, we are serious about the energy transition. Bavaria is a frontrunner! We are the number one sunshine state and rely on a smart energy mix of photovoltaics, biomass, and renewable energies."

Tobias Reum, PhD student at InES, addressed the concrete research in the field of renewable energies at THI. In his presentation, he outlined what the THI Institute does in the area of solar energy research, both regionally and internationally. "We do research not only in the region, but all over the world. In Namibia, we have helped promote self-sufficient energy supply in cooperation with regional universities and government representatives. And with regional medium-sized companies, we have implemented new solar collector manufacturing processes," Reum explained.

The Bavarian state government launched a special program for retrofitting photovoltaic systems on state-owned buildings with the resolution of the Council of Ministers on November 6, 2022. As part of the energy and climate package to expand home energies, the program was allocated a total of 125 million euros. THI will receive 908,000 euros from this program.