The Thuringian Regional Association of the German Solar Energy Society DGS e.V.

The Thuringian regional association of the DGS was founded in August 2008 and was entered into the official club and society registry of the city of Weimar on Dec. 22, 2008. The DGS national society was founded in 1975 and is the oldest consumer protection society in the field of renewable energy technology and rational energy use in Germany. Based on the society’s by-laws the regional association’s goals are to push the use of renewable energy technology and rational energy use through activities in the following areas:

• Further education,
• Collection, summarization and distribution of information,
• Implementation of scientific methods and findings as well as the use of suitable technologies,
• Basics and applied research and development,
• Development aid cooperation and international cooperation.

Further Education in the DGS SolarSchools Thuringia

In 2008 the DGS SolarSchool Thuringia started operation as the seventh DGS SolarSchool nationwide. It offers different further education courses on renewable energy technology and energy efficiency. The courses are mainly carried out in Weimar. However, they can also be carried out on-site at companies or at partner institutions. In Germany it has educated 290 participants in 21 courses as of the end of 2011.

Renewable Energy Technology in Schools

The education of children and teens in the area of renewable energy technology is one of our most important goals. As a part of the project Energy for Life we have started to carry out energy project days at schools and participate in environmental and energy days. We inform pupils about the use of renewable energy technology by conducting experiments together with them and playing Energy for Life computer games.

Information and Research Projects

We coordinate joint projects and develop communications campaigns on individual topics and products dealing with renewable energy technology and energy efficiency. For example, we oversaw the development of the small biogas plant PORTAFERM, implemented the DGS campaign SOLPOOL – the use of solar energy in swimming pools in Thuringia and encouraged the growth of renewable energy use in Laos and Cambodia through the project REEPRO. We are currently working on a campaign for the use of solar acclimatisation for hotels in Brazil. Additionally, we present our information stands at consumer and energy trade fairs.

Development Cooperation

Renewable energy technology is becoming increasingly relevant. Locally, as well as globally, the energy of the future will no longer be gained from oil and coal, but from sun, wind and biomass. The demand for energy is also steadily increasing as the countries in the southern hemisphere, in which 80% of the world population lives, are further developing and require energy for this development. Today these countries only consume less than half of the energy produced worldwide, but this is changing. This is where we would like to influence the direction and push the use of renewable energy technology instead of fossil fuels. We support educational, pilot and infrastructure projects in the area of renewable energy technology and the efficient energy use in developing and emerging countries.

Surveys and Consulting

In cooperation with the RAL quality control association for solar energy systems (RAL Gütegemeinschaft Solarenergieanlagen e.V.) we offer the following services:

• Yield prediction for planned systems: Data collection for the planned system/area, prediction based on climate data, loss evaluation, reduction factors, feasibility studies, cost calculations,
• Bid evaluation: Evaluation of your bid with reference to quality, system layout (control calculation), yield prediction check, price check,
• System inspection and approval according to RAL GZ 966: Inspection and check by an unbiased third party, examination of the layout, mounting, potential shading, cabling, inverter configuration, lightning protection, optional heat image photos, characteristic curve measurements, specific value check, labelling and documentation check, deficiency statement and protocol.

If you are interested in our services please contact us for further information.

By-laws

of the Regional Association of the International Solar Energy Society German Sections - Landesverbandes Thüringen der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Sonnenenergie e.V. (DGS):