Self-Sustained Energy Production on Your Own Balcony
TH Köln, a renowned university in Cologne, has embarked on an innovative project titled "DIY Energy Transition" in collaboration with an intergenerational house in the city. The project, led by Prof. Dr. Valerie Varney at the Cologne Innovation and Transfer Lab of TH Köln, aims to involve society in the energy transition through active co-creation.
The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with approximately 1.3 million euros until the end of March 2027, and by the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU) with around 250,000 euros until the same date. It is part of the new DBU funding initiative "Transformative Education".
The "DIY Energy Transition" project tests methods that combine technological progress, participatory educational formats, and multidisciplinary research. The project partner is the intergenerational house WAJ in Cologne-Neuehrenfeld.
The project's goal is to promote awareness of sustainable energy use and active participation in the energy transition. Residents of the participating households will be actively involved, with 17 balcony power plants being installed in their homes. These power plants will allow them to generate their own electricity and monitor their energy production, consumption, and savings in real-time.
Through engagement with the technology and developing shared action strategies, a higher acceptance of energy-saving measures and behavioral change can emerge. The project uses participatory educational formats such as energy-saving challenges to motivate residents.
The project's reflection formats and low-threshold qualitative surveys aim to provide valuable insights. These insights can be transferred to other questions with concrete practical relevance. The project's ultimate goal is to initiate and support changes in the energy transition, creating a network of informed and engaged citizens.
The German government aims to make Germany climate-neutral by 2045. The "DIY Energy Transition" project connects technical, social science, and educational perspectives around the crucial transformation field of the energy transition. The active involvement of residents is crucial for DBU funding.
The project coordinator is Dr. Eva-Maria Grommes. The project aims to encourage participants to develop creative and sustainable solutions for current challenges, providing a platform for active co-creation and collaboration in the energy transition.
