The HSZG and Saxony⁵ will be showcasing innovative energy research and practical solutions for the energy transition at the Saxon Energy Days 2026.
The Saxon Energy Days 2026 kicked off at the end of April. 90 events throughout Saxony will make energy knowledge understandable, tangible and suitable for everyday use until May 23, 2026. Under the motto "New energies for Saxony", companies, municipalities and initiatives will show how renewable energies work and can be used. The offer ranges from lectures and discussions to excursions and plant tours. The HSZG with the joint project Saxony⁵ was also present with exhibition stands and lectures at the start of the Saxon Energy Days.
"The Saxon Energy Days show in concrete terms how the energy transition works in everyday life - comprehensible, practical and accessible to everyone," said Saxony's Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy Dirk Panter at the start of the Saxon Energy Days. And addressed to the public, companies and citizens, Panter explained: "You will be surprised to see where renewable energies in Saxony are already ensuring that electricity is generated cheaply and sustainably - and thus also enabling heat supply, mobility and economic development. "
Civil society and energy policy experts were also surprised and impressed by the diversity of the research being conducted at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences in the field of energy economics at the end of April 2026. The HSZG and its joint project Saxony⁵ presented themselves at the network meeting "Energy needs grids" (April 24) of the Entwicklungsgesellschaft Niederschlesische Oberlausitz mbH in Görlitz. Here, HSZG junior scientist Jonas Pfeiffer drew attention to the HSZG's offerings in the field of regional and municipal heat supply. "The district of Görlitz produces far more renewable electricity than it can consume. The grids are at their limit in terms of feed-in. It's not just about simulations and optimization models in the office - it's about concrete support for municipalities and municipal utilities to understand and plan their systems better," argues Jonas Pfeiffer.
At "Energy needs grids", Prof. Dr. Stefan Kornhuber from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science ' at the HSZG also presented the DC-LabSaxony project project, a collaboration between the HSZG and TU Dresden. The aim of the project is to research the potential of DC medium-voltage grids in the energy sector and to develop sustainable solutions for high-performance applications. As a reminder: AC (Alternate Current) stands for alternating current, while DC (Direct Current) is synonymous with direct current. "The DC-LabSaxony is the starting point for extensive research in the field of direct current technology in the three-country region. The switch to renewable energies and changes in user behavior present us with new challenges. DC grids offer forward-looking solutions for the energy transition, especially for the integration of storage systems, e-mobility and the supply of industrial plants," says Prof. Dr. Stefan Kornhuber, Professor in charge at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences.
The HSZG was also represented with a scientific stand at the "Görlitz District Energy Party" (April 25): Here, visitors and interested first-year students were able to learn about the wide range and impact of energy research and study programs at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. From heat supply to heat storage and coupling with electrical energy supply systems, there was a lot to discover. Heat pumps, piston compressors and latent heat storage - hands-on technology and questions from the public in direct dialog. "With Saxony⁵, we have a format that can effectively connect universities, municipalities, industry and society. Not as a showcase, but as a working platform. Not just as a project logic, but as genuine support for local energy and heat users," say the Saxony⁵ project team.
The diverse presentations and projects of the HSZG and Saxony⁵ were rounded off on April 26 in Dresden at the official kick-off event of the Energy Days for citizens and with energy stakeholders at the SachsenNetze headquarters in Dresden. "The many conversations with people at the stand give hope and show that there is broad support for the energy transition and that our energy research is highly relevant. However, it also became clear what challenges grid operators such as SachsenNetze are currently facing - from smart meter roll-out to grid expansion - and that these challenges are only of a limited technical nature," says Martin Herling, project employee in the energy transfer field at Saxony⁵.
Would you like to experience how energy research from Upper Lusatia contributes to the energy transition - and what you can do at home? Visit us at one of the upcoming events:
Energy Research Action Day
When: Wednesday 27.05.2026 14:30 - 18:00
Where: Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences - Power Plant Laboratory
Schliebenstraße, 02763 Zittau
Smart Home in old age
When: Friday 29.05.2026 09:30 - 12:30
Where: CELSIUZ in the Mandauhöfe, 2nd floor
Äußere Oybiner Straße 16, 02763 Zittau
Text: Frank Leberecht
