Four projects will receive support from the EKT Energy Foundation. According to a press release, 20 applications were submitted to the foundation board for consideration in the second round of awards. All of the projects are working towards a secure, sustainable energy supply and the realisation of climate targets. They were convincing due to their high practical orientation and their connection to the canton of Thurgau. They are also “good examples of how both the Thurgau economy and Thurgau agriculture can benefit from the EKT”, according to Foundation Board President Fabian Etter.
One of the research projects is in the field of agrivoltaics. Ways of dual utilisation of agricultural land are being investigated, both for the production of crops and solar power. A test plant with semi-transparent photovoltaic modules from the Arenenberg Agricultural Competence Centre is intended to provide insights into the suitability of varieties, weather protection, irrigation and light management.
Two other projects relating to energy storage are also being funded, as these are central to the restructuring of the energy supply. One is being carried out at the animal carcass collection centre in the city of Frauenfeld, which is involved in the pilot project. The prototype of a sorption heat pump is being investigated. This will allow the waste heat generated during cooling to be stored thermochemically together with the electrical energy from the photovoltaic system during the summer months. The second energy storage project is a preliminary study investigating the opportunities and framework conditions for using modular sand batteries as heat storage systems.
The EKT Energy Foundation sees further innovative approaches for the energy transition in the Thurgau Energy Utilisation from Underground 2023 project. The funding will be awarded in combination with a loan and is intended to support the basic research and planning work required to apply for funding from the canton and the federal government. The aim of the research is to gain insights into the utilisation of geothermal energy sources.
