Solar PV systems
02/2026 | 100 per cent of roofs fitted with solar panels
Substantial progress has been made in expanding renewable energy: new photovoltaic systems have been installed on the last available roofs at the Wechloy campus. This means that 100 per cent of the available roofs are now covered with PV systems.
Solar PV systems
The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is one of the key building blocks in the shift towards climate neutrality. The university is a pioneer amongst German higher education institutions when it comes to installing solar panels on its own roofs – solar panels have been installed on 100 per cent of the available roof space.
The first major expansion of the solar panel installation took place in 2017 on the Haarentor Campus, on the library, Building A02 (the ‘bridge’ over Uhlhornsweg), the domed roof of the lecture theatre centre and other buildings. In 2019, the Wechloy Campus was fitted with photovoltaic modules in the area around the main building and the NeSSy research building. In 2022, systems on the sports building, the fitness and health centre and the A14 lecture theatre centre came into operation. In 2025, further systems were added to the NeSSy research building, the open-air hall, the Language Centre, the new Research and Training Centre and the Ringebene in Wechloy.
The systems are partly funded by the European Union’s Structural Funds (ERDF) and partly by the university itself through its own resources.
A further increase in photovoltaic capacity can be achieved in future through new buildings or the refurbishment of older buildings whose roofs are not currently suitable for solar installations. In addition, the university is exploring the implementation of open-air installations and the construction of solar carports.
Haarentor site
At the Haarentor site, solar PV systems are currently installed on the roofs of eight buildings or groups of buildings. These have a total capacity of 693.65 kWp and can generate around 590,000 kWh of electricity annually. Based on the emission factors for the national electricity mix in the respective year of installation, this results in a combined saving of up to 302.17 tonnes of CO₂ per year.
Wechloy site
At the Wechloy site, solar PV systems are currently installed on the roofs of six buildings or groups of buildings. These have a total capacity of 603.24 kWp and can generate around 503,000 kWh of electricity per year. Based on the emission factors for the national electricity mix in the respective year of installation, this results in a combined saving of up to 236.76 tonnes of CO₂ per year.
