Feuchtwangen students on site at “The Smarter E Europe” in Munich

The smarter E Europe is Europe’s largest energy industry innovation platform and brings together several trade fairs relating to renewable energies, storage technologies, electromobility and intelligent energy systems.

As part of an excursion on May 9, students from the Feuchtwangen campus of Ansbach University of Applied Sciences learned about the latest developments in the energy world on site. This was made possible by the so-called Study Program, which offered exclusive lectures by experts from the industry in addition to the visit to the trade fair.

“This is a unique opportunity for our students to combine current research with real market practice,” emphasized Dr. Gerd Hofmann, coordinator of the Feuchtwangen campus. The direct encounter with new technologies such as modern home energy management systems (HEMS) was particularly exciting – as were the challenges that installation companies and manufacturers have to face today.

A highlight of the trade fair was the pv magazine Focus 2025 event, at which more than 400 experts from science, industry and trade discussed the energy transition in the private sector. The central question was: What does a good home energy management system need to achieve today? The topics ranged from the integration of heat pumps, electric cars and battery storage systems to integration into the electricity market. Legal innovations such as the revised §14a EnWG, which sets new requirements for controllable consumers, were also discussed in depth.

An active contribution from Feuchtwangen was made by Thomas Haupt, M. Sc., research assistant at the Campus. He presented the so-called HEMS Finder – a tool developed at the university to bring more transparency to the confusing market of home energy management systems. “We not only compare technical data, but also interfaces, user-friendliness and control options via weather forecasts,” explained Haupt.
For the Feuchtwangen students, the visit to the trade fair was not only informative, but also inspiring. “They were able to exchange ideas directly with manufacturers, make contacts and experience how theory and practice work together,” said Dr. Hofmann. This also offered valuable starting points for final theses or later career prospects.

The participants returned to Feuchtwangen with many impressions and new ideas. What they experienced will now continue to have an impact in project work and courses – a living example of the practical study approach at the Feuchtwangen campus.