October 2023

Bidding farewell to a previous project and embarking on a new one

Welcome to the fourth edition of the InES International Newsletter! As we embrace the autumn season in Ingolstadt, we are thrilled to share with you the latest updates and endeavours of our institute. Our colleagues have been involved in numerous research collaborations, fostering collaborations and advancing projects across Africa and Central Asia.

Since April 2019, InES has played a pivotal role in the PROCEED project, collaborating with stakeholders and partners in Namibia and Germany. This project stands as a significant milestone for our institution, amplifying rural electrification efforts in remote Namibian regions. The culmination was marked by the PROCEED project's final conference in Windhoek this September, bringing together all the partners and important stakeholders from governmental agencies in Namibia and Germany.

We're also delighted to announce the launch of the innovative SWITCH project with partners in Algeria, Morocco and Italy. Aligned with the LEAP-RE initiative, this project opens up new ways of strengthening weak grids through artificial neural networks in Algeria and Morocco .

Yours sincerely,

Prof Dr Wilfried Zörner

Institute of new Energy Systems

Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt

AMBER: First project meeting in Ifrane, Morocco

In May 2023, the first project meeting took place at Al Akhawayn University (AUI) in Ifrane. The project titled "Accelerate Moroccan's Biogas Sector: A Higher Education-Industry Partnership (AMBER)" is dedicated to promoting a thriving biogas sector in Morocco.

More on the project meeting

More on the visits

SWITCH: Official Kick-Off

We are thrilled to announce the official launch of the SWITCH project, titled "Stabilizing weak grids through machine learning: empowering farmers in end-of-line communities in North Africa through artificial neural networks". The project is implemented by partners in Algeria, Germany, Italy and Morocco.

More on the Kick-Off

PROCEED: Impact of Decentralised Solar-PV Systems on Overload Mini-Grids

The electricity demand in Namibia’s off-grid communities is continuing to rise, leaving the capacity of existing generators struggling to keep up. The PROCEED (Pathway to Renewable Off-Grid Community Energy for Development)

project was inter alia investigating the potential of decentralised solar-PV systems to complement mini-grids. A pilot plant has been built and its interaction with the mini-grid studied.

More on the research

Final PROCEED Conference and trip

The closing conference in Windhoek, Namibia, on September 14th and 15th marked the end of the German-Namibian research project PROCEED.

More on the Final Conference

Impact Workshop in Windhoek, Namibia

In July, Prof Dr Matthias Huber from InES participated in an Impact Workshop in Windhoek organised by the Bavarian Research Alliance. Numerous partners from Europe (e.g. THI and Technical University of Deggendorf) and Southern Africa (NUST, ORI, SASSCAL, Stellenbosch University) attended. The results of the workshop have been incorporated into a project proposal for a Horizon Europe call.

More on the Real Lab

Highlights of the 4th International Conference on Solar Technologies & Hybrid Mini Grids

Hosted by the the Univerty of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca, Spain, this conference brought together 136 leading experts, scholars, company representatives and enthusiasts from various fields within the scope of renewable energy provision. Attendees came from 35 different countries and 5 continents.

More on the conference