Award for InES Research on Agri-Solar Thermal Energy Systems at the "Zukunft Wärme" Symposium

Fabian Feuchter from the research group Domestic Energy Systems at the Institute of New Energy Systems (InES), part of the Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt (THI), was awarded 2nd place in the poster competition at the renowned "Zukunft Wärme" symposium, held from May 20 to 22, 2025, at Kloster Banz in Bad Staffelstein, Germany.
His poster contribution,
“Requirements and Boundary Conditions for Agri-Solar Thermal Systems Compared to Conventional Ground-Mounted Solar Thermal and Agri-Photovoltaic Systems”,
explores how existing standards from the agri-photovoltaics sector can be transferred to solar thermal applications on agricultural land. The work focuses on how solar thermal energy and agriculture can be synergistically combined on the same land area. Key challenges addressed include land integration, hydraulic systems, and suitable collector technologies. A case study using insulated glass collectors illustrates potential solutions and highlights Agri-Solar Thermal energy as a promising element in the rural energy transition.
The jury praised the originality and innovative nature of the research, as well as the clear and compelling visual presentation of the results. The contribution was conducted in collaboration with Michael Seiler, Thorsten Summ, Christoph Trinkl, and Prof. Wilfried Zörner. 
Two further InES contributions on improving the operating efficiency of air-source heat pumps by using model-predictive controllers in buildings (Lukas Müller) and on analyzing the operating behavior and performance of insulating glass flat-plate collectors (Michael Seiler, Christoph Trinkl) also met with lively interest in the poster exhibition.
The Zukunft Wärme symposium is one of the leading events for experts from research and industry in the field of innovative heating systems in the German-speaking region. It covers a broad spectrum of technological developments, practical applications, and operational experiences in solar thermal energy, heat pumps, geothermal energy, and biomass—complemented by energy efficiency technologies and storage solutions.
Participation and recognition at this event underline InES's strong commitment to applied research in sustainable heating systems.