This year’s energy technology field trip took place from June 17 to 19, 2026. The first stop was the Markersbach pumped-storage power plant in the Ore Mountains, where participants toured the plant’s machine room, located 100 meters underground. Afterward, at the Chemnitz combined heat and power plant, participants gained insights into a site undergoing transformation: In addition to a decommissioned coal-fired power plant, the site features a battery storage facility, a power-to-heat plant, and gas engines.
After spending the night in Dresden, the next stop was the city’s Innovation Power Plant in the Reick district, before the trip continued to the lignite-fired Lippendorf Power Plant near Leipzig. The fuel used there is extracted from open-pit mines in the immediate vicinity of the power plant, and the environmental impact of this cannot be overlooked.
On the last day, the trip continued to the Remondis PET recycling plant in Zeitz, where the participants also gained an understanding of the role consumers play in ensuring that recycling cycles function properly. The excursion concluded with a tour of the network control center and switchgear facilities at SÜC Coburg, where the participants learned about the behind-the-scenes efforts required to maintain a functioning power grid.