Revolution in the energy sector: 58 million euros for Lower Saxony!

Revolution in the energy sector: 58 million euros for Lower Saxony!

In a significant step towards promoting the energy transition in Lower Saxony, the program "Transformation of the Lower Saxony energy system" (ten.efzn) is equipped with a record amount of 58.2 million euros. These funds that will be available in the next five years come from the Lower Saxony Ministry of Economics and Culture as well as from the Volkswagen Foundation. The Energy Research Center Lower Saxony (EFZN) will manage these funds and invest in several research platforms.

The large research program is divided into six different platforms to research different facets of the energy transition. Particularly noteworthy is the University of Applied Science and Art (HAWK) in Göttingen, which is the only University of Applied Science to participate in this project and leads the research platform heat. In this role, the HAWK will act as one of a total of 15 research partners.

HAWK is involved with its own project

A special focus is on the HAWK's own research project, which examines the integration of heat pumps into existing energy systems. These heat pumps represent a key technology in the heating industry and are to be combined efficiently with existing systems. Prof. Stefan Holler, responsible lecturer for energy and environmental technology at the HAWK resource management faculty, explains that innovative approaches to heat recovery, such as from data centers or sewage treatment plants, are to be realized. Such measures could not only increase energy efficiency, but also contribute to reducing CO2 emissions.

In addition to the HAWK, the Sociological Research Institute Göttingen (Sofi) is also integrated into the program. The Sofi receives about three million euros in funding and plans to research the social consequences and social conflicts around the energy transition over the next five years. This research is crucial to better understand the social acceptance and the effects of changes in the energy sector.

The relevance of these projects is undisputed: In view of the global challenges due to climate change and the continued transition to renewable energies, it is of the utmost importance to integrate both technical solutions and social aspects into the planning and implementation of the energy transition. More Details on this topic can be found in a detailed report on www.goettinger-tiablatt.de .