Power & Environmental Technologies in Thuringia

Interdisciplinary university education

Thuringia’s universities offer countless interdisciplinary degree programs that effectively pre-pare students for the fast-moving energy and environmental technology market.

Energy networks and systems
Ilmenau University of Technology 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
The Bauhaus University of Weimar develops innovative solutions in the fields of energy, transportation, water and waste. It focuses on the forward-looking
issues of environmental action, resource conservation, mobility and climate change in order to make them sustainable and socially viable.

Green photonics
The Friedrich Schiller University teaches profound skills and knowledge in experimental
and theoretical optics and also offers specialized training programs in various subfields of optics. As a result, highly efficient technical applications
of light drive the development of environmentally friendly solutions in Jena’s high-tech environment.

Study programs

• Renewable Energy Engineering, University of Applied Sciences (UAS) Nordhausen
• Environmental and Recycling Engineering, University of Applied Sciences (UAS) Nordhausen
• Biotechnology, Ernst Abbe UAS Jena
• Environmental Technology and Development, Ernst Abbe UAS Jena
• Electric Power and Control Systems Engineering, TU Ilmenau
• Renewable Energy Technology, TU Ilmenau
• Building Physics and Energy-Efficient Building Design, Bauhaus University Weimar
• Environmental Engineering Sciences, Bauhaus University Weimar
• Postgraduate Studies for Water & Environmental Engineering, Bauhaus University Weimar
• Photonics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena

Vocational and further training

Thuringia’s vocational training programs give energy and environmental technology special-ists the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. Private and public schools provide a wide range of industry-related programs. They cover everything from basic fundamentals to the latest technological advances. There are also many continuing education programs such as the CCI certification as an Energy Manager or Energy Scout.

Selected vocational training programs:

• Environmental protection assistant
• Sewage engineering technician
• Water supply engineering technician
• Water management specialist
• Recycling and waste management technician
• Biological, physical, and chemical laboratory technician

Not only does Thuringia have an outstanding research infrastructure, but it places a premium on building strong relationships between business and science.

Selected research institutes

• Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS), Hermsdorf
• Fraunhofer Application Center System Technology AST (part of Fraunhofer IOSB), Ilmenau
• Battery Innovation and Technology Center (BITC), Arnstadt
• Center for Energy and Environmental Chemistry (CEEC), Jena
• HySON Institute for Applied Hydrogen Research, Sonneberg
• IAB – Weimar Institute of Applied Construction Research, Weimar
• Institute for Renewable Energy Technology (in.RET), Nordhausen
• Thuringian Energy Research Institute (ThEFI), Ilmenau
• Thuringian Innovation Center for Recyclables (ThIWert), Nordhausen
   

Missing links
In Thuringia, we are researching the missing links of the energy transition: electrical and thermal energy storage, sector coupling as well as hydrogen production,
transportation and storage. Flagship projects include research at Fraunhofer IKTS into sodiumion batteries for stationary energy storage and the peerless redox flow batteries based on polymers developed at the CEEC. New players emerging along the hydrogen production value chain include application-oriented research hubs such as HySON and new research programs at the Ilmenau University of Technology for producing green hydrogen directly from solar water splitting.

• adapt engineering GmbH & Co. KG, Nordhausen
• Analytik Jena AG, Jena
• CATT Contemporary Amperex Technology Thuringia GmbH, Arnstadt
• EAS Batteries GmbH, Nordhausen
• EAW Energieanlagenbau GmbH, Westenfeld
• ENERCON Service Center Gotha GmbH, Gotha
• EPC Engineering & Technologies GmbH, Arnstadt
• EuRec Environmental Technology GmbH, Krayenberggemeinde
• Fugro Germany Land GmbH, Nordhausen
• HM Heizkörper GmbH Heating Technology, Dingelstädt
• Ifesca GmbH, Ilmenau
• Jena-Geos-Ingenieurbüro GmbH, Jena
• K-UTEC AG Salt Technologies, Sondershausen
• KYOCERA AVX Components GmbH, Föritztal
• Leitec Gebäudetechnik GmbH, Heilbad Heiligenstadt
• Maximator GmbH, Nordhausen
• maxx-solar & energie GmbH & Co. KG, Waltershausen
• OMROS Gesellschaft für Umwelttechnik mbH, Hildburghausen
• QUNDIS GmbH, Erfurt
• Schachtbau Nordhausen GmbH, Nordhausen
• SOKRATHERM GmbH, Nordhausen
• Suncycle GmbH, Isseroda
• UGN-Umwelttechnik GmbH, Gera
• UST Umweltsensortechnik GmbH, Geschwenda

Thuringian Energy- and GreenTech-Agency (ThEGA)
Thuringia is the first German state to create a central institution – the Thuringian Energy and GreenTech Agency (ThEGA) – that efficiently supports ecological modernization by harmonizing business, energy and resource policies. ThEGA is the central competence, consulting and information center for these activities. It helps companies take the steps required to be-come energy-efficient organizations at the pre-competitive stage.

ThEEN e.V.
The Thuringian Renewable Energy Network (ThEEN) is the umbrella organization for the renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy storage sector in Thuringia. With its member associations as well as numerous companies, research institutes, municipalities and institutions, it represents and concentrates the know-how of more than 80 companies. One of ThEEN’s special missions is to support relevant political processes and decisions at the state level.