In 2025, Upper Franconia will be all about energy. Under the motto “The future of energy in Upper Franconia – regional, innovative, economical”, the theme year of the Technology Alliance of Upper Franconia (TAO) is being implemented under the leadership of the Center for Energy Technology at the University of Bayreuth – but Hof University of Applied Sciences is also significantly involved. The aim is to bring together various players in the energy sector and promote intersectoral exchange and networking.
In view of the challenges of climate change and the energy crisis of recent years, the need for research, scientific discussion and information is greater than ever. Topics such as energy storage using batteries and hydrogen or the use of heat pumps are in focus and offer numerous starting points for innovative solutions.
Broad expertise and know-how transfer
The four TAO partner universities – the University of Bayreuth with its Center for Energy Technology, the University of Bamberg with its focus on energy-efficient systems, Coburg University of Applied Sciences with its “Energy Technology and Renewable Energies” course and the Institute for Hydrogen and Energy Technology at Hof University of Applied Sciences – bring with them strong and diverse expertise in the field of energy. As part of the theme year, they will present their expertise both regionally and nationally and establish themselves as competent contacts for all relevant stakeholders who have questions or challenges in this area.
Partnerships with industry and business
A central concern of the theme year is to strengthen partnerships with industry. Existing contacts will be strengthened and new collaborations established through specialist conferences and expert workshops. A new instrument to promote exchange is the joint lecture series involving all four partner universities in the summer semester of 2025. For example, the public will have the opportunity to find out about current topics and issues in the form of city talks.
Events at Hof University of Applied Sciences
Hof University of Applied Sciences is also offering a number of interesting events as part of the TAO theme year: A lecture series, which is being organized jointly with the other TAO partner universities, also includes two lectures in Hof. The exact dates have yet to be announced. On 20 May 2025, Prof. Dr. Tobias Plessing will also be hosting a city lecture at the “Zur Auszeit” café in Hof. Various networking events of the EnerNET network project also cover different aspects of energy management, local heating, air conditioning and refrigeration technology and take place partly online and partly in person outside the university. A central highlight is the 6th Hof Energy Symposium on November 27, 2025 at the Institute for Information Systems (iisys), which serves as the closing event of the TAO theme year “Energy Future Upper Franconia”.
