Graduate Benedict Scharf receives the Leipzig Energy Award for his concept for a climate-neutral bakery
During the graduation ceremony, the Faculty of Engineering awards prizes for outstanding theses. The best technical-scientific Master's thesis in the field of energy technology was also awarded during the ceremony on 12 April 2025 in Plant 2.
M.Eng. Jan Schubert, Team Leader Heat, Asset Management at Netz Leipzig GmbH, presented the Leipzig Energy Prize, endowed with 1,000 euros, to Prof. Dr Robert Huhn on behalf of Benedict Scharf, who was unable to accept the prize in person during the ceremony.
The award-winning Master's thesis
Prizewinner Benedict Scharf, a graduate of the Energy, Building and Environmental Engineering (EGM) Master's degree programme at the Faculty of Engineering, has been awarded the Leipzig Energy Prize 2024 for his thesis entitled "Transformation concept for achieving greenhouse gas neutrality in a bakery" . The thesis was supervised by Prof. Robert Huhn, Chair of Gas and Heating Networks.
In his master's thesis, Benedict Scharf developed a path to greenhouse gas neutrality for a bakery in the Leipzig region. The bakery has set itself the goal of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions in future and utilising renewable energy sources wherever possible. Based on the current state of the energy supply at the production site and the bakery's vehicle fleet, measures to avoid and reduce greenhouse gas emissions were derived.
Award winner Jan Schubert emphasises: "Benedict Scharf has chosen and worked on an excellent example of the transformation path for large industrial energy consumers, which shows the technical and economic way to achieve complete climate neutrality. The example could easily be transferred to other industrial companies, even if the framework conditions may be different. The jury of Netz Leipzig GmbH - consisting of the management and the asset management department - was particularly impressed by the pursuit of innovative approaches and the constant inclusion of economic premises."
Leipzig Energy Prize | Netz Leipzig GmbH
Netz Leipzig GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of Leipziger Stadtwerke based in Leipzig. As a network operator, it bundles all competences and services relating to the transport and distribution of electricity, gas and district heating in Leipzig. It operates the electricity, gas and district heating networks in Leipzig as well as a telecommunications network. Its responsibilities include network expansion planning, maintenance, inspection, construction management, network information for external partners, network management and co-operation with the regulatory authority (BNetzA). Netz Leipzig is an employer for more than 400 people.
As a subsidiary of Leipziger Stadtwerke, Netz Leipzig GmbH supplies energy for Leipzig. People and companies in the region are supplied with energy reliably and efficiently. It supports the city of Leipzig in realising its climate targets - with clever concepts and innovative technologies that pave the way for a sustainable, liveable and economically strong region. Over the next few years, more than 400 million euros will be invested in new, environmentally friendly generation plants and grid expansion in the region - a challenge that they, as grid operators, want to help make a success.
Netz Leipzig GmbH has been honouring students from the Faculty of Engineering at HTWK Leipzig for outstanding technical and scientific theses with the Leipzig Energy Prize since 2017. These are focussed on the energy world of tomorrow and address current developments in technologies or energy grid structures. One of the criteria for the award is the context of implementation capability as well as the categorisation of economic principles and ecological consequences. The decision is made by the Asset Management division in consultation with Netz Leipzig's management.
