Energy supply of the future, made in Giessen : Two projects involving the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM) have received the "Hessian State Prize for Innovative Energy Solutions." FlexQuartier took first place in the system integration category, and the ITEE association, an affiliated institute of the THM won first place in the young talent category.
“The award ceremony in two categories is a symbol of the years of excellent cooperation in Central Hesse between the energy suppliers and the THM,” said Prof. Olaf Berger, who traveled to the award ceremony in Kassel, where awards were presented as part of the “Energy & Climate Future Forum”. were awarded for the best ideas in the six subject areas of electricity, heat, mobility, system integration, young talent and social commitment. Berger represented THM both as vice president and as spokesman for the Competence Center for Energy Technology and Energy Management (formerlyTHM), which implemented the FlexQuartier and provided the impetus for the founding of ITEE.
The FlexQuartier on Georg-Elser-Straße in Giessen , funded with almost €4.6 million by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, is a newly developed residential and commercial district. At its heart is a hybrid storage facility designed and built by THM . It is designed to supply the district with heat and electricity. Electricity generated by photovoltaic systems on residential buildings and not required for internal use can be temporarily stored in the new storage facility and used to charge electric vehicles, as well as to supply heat to the district. In addition to a battery storage system, a high-temperature storage facility is also available, in which ceramic molded blocks are heated to temperatures of up to 1200° Celsius – heat that can be converted back into electricity if needed. In the summer months, the district's heat needs can thus be almost entirely covered by the district's own heating system. During the colder months, the district also relies on the district's district heating network, which is run by Stadtwerke Giessen , the main local partner in the project.
You are also centrally involved in the second award-winning project: The “Institute for Transformation Tasks in the Energy Industry and Energy Technology” (ITEE) supports regional municipal utilities and energy suppliers in the transformation of energy supply and infrastructure. It was founded as an association in 2023 with the technical and legal support of the THM and is managed as an affiliated institute of the university - a legally independent institution that is organizationally and personally linked to the university and reports to the Senate. It is intended to ensure the scientific training of the staff of the member companies.
Hesse's Economics Minister Kaweh Mansoori was impressed by the projects: “The energy transition thrives on innovation and commitment. With the Hessian State Prize we would like to make outstanding Hessian energy concepts visible and motivate other actors to work for an affordable, reliable and sustainable energy future." The award comes with prize money: 7,500 euros for the system integration category and 2,500 euros for the young talent category. All award winners also receive a free image video. “Above all, these awards are a recognition of the work of many committed colleagues,” said Olaf Berger. It shows that future-proof energy solutions are not only conceived at THM , but also implemented. In the case of the high storage facility from the FlexQuartier, it is so innovative that the university now wants to start marketing it.