Hydrogen as a key to the energy revolution

After two semesters, the Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Prof. Klaus-Uwe Moll, drew a positive balance: The 30 national and international students of the study program "Hydrogen Technology and Economics", which started last winter semester at the THI, are in part already looking for a topic for their thesis. Compared to last year, the number of applicants has already increased by 30 percent, he said. "Hydrogen is a topic with a promising future," says Prof. Moll.

This was also emphasized by Dr. Anton Hofreiter (Member of the German Federal Parliament) in his subsequent presentation. In particular, he addressed the regional, national, and global levels and highlighted the possible applications and development potential of hydrogen technology in his keynote address. "We have to emancipate ourselves from the photosynthetic power of plants," Hofreiter pointed out. Hydrogen from renewable energies is a promising approach, he said. To use it successfully, however, political decisions and pan-European cooperation are needed.

In addition to Hofreiter, course director Prof. Sergej Diel spoke about excursions to energy companies, Hohenwart mayor Jürgen Haindl and Prof. Matthias Huber about the student hydrogen project in the community. Prof. Markus Goldbrunner and Carina Reddi from the Institute for New Energy Systems shed light on national and international research projects on the use of hydrogen, for example in biogas processing or long-distance transport. Matthias Löhlein, Director of Corporate Development, Digitalization & Sustainability at Bayernwerk, contributed the perspective of an energy solutions provider. The well-attended event ended after a lively discussion.

For more information on the Hydrogen Technology and Economics program, please visit: www.thi.de/maschinenbau/studiengaenge/wasserstofftechnologie-meng/