Photovoltaics for the campus

Since Thursday, 2 November 2023, a photovoltaic system has been installed on the Technologie Allianz Oberfranken (TAO) building on the southern part of the University of Bayreuth campus. The "Photovoltaics on State Roofs" funding programme of the State Ministry of Science and the Arts is supporting the installation of the PV system with a good 150,000 euros.

"We are using this money to install a photovoltaic system on our TAO building with an output of 120 kWp," says Gerald Weber, Head of Central Technology at the University of Bayreuth. "The University of Bayreuth itself is contributing around 15,000 euros to adapt the necessary infrastructure. The generated electricity of approx. 110,000 kWh per year will be consumed by the UBT itself."

The amount of electricity that will be generated on the TAO building in future could supply around 25 single-family homes (four-person families) with electricity. During the construction of the PV system on the TAO roof, operations on campus will not be restricted as work will only take place on the roof.

"Together with the PV systems already planned on our new buildings NW IV, FZA and E&I, totalling around 70 kWp, and other planned systems on our existing roofs, we are gradually driving forward the expansion of renewable energies on campus," says Weber.

"I would like to sincerely thank the administration team and the central technology department, who have courageously tackled the installation of the university's own PV systems and are committed to advancing the overall topic of 'energy', especially in times of rising energy prices," says Provost Dr Nicole Kaiser. "This is another piece of the puzzle in the implementation of our comprehensive sustainability strategy." The campus is currently already supplied with 100 per cent "green electricity" by the supplier Enercity. Thanks to the new PV systems, however, the university will be purchasing less electricity.