27. March 2025 | Press releases:

Generating electricity with cardio fitness Innovative sports equipment at TU Braunschweig University Sports Centre

  • TU Braunschweig is the first university in Germany to incorporate nine power-generating cardio machines into its sports programme.
  • The electricity generated will be fed into the university’s power grid, contributing to a sustainable future.

TU Braunschweig is the first university in Germany to offer sports enthusiasts the chance to do something for the environment as well as their fitness. Nine innovative cardio machines can generate up to 100 watt-hours of energy per workout. This is equivalent to the energy needed to fully charge four to five smartphones. Over the course of a year, users of the equipment will be able to generate several thousand kilowatt hours, which will then be fed back into the university. The cost of around €100,000 was covered by the University Sports Centre’s own funds.

New equipment includes a slat-belt treadmill, a 3-in-1 crosstrainer, a bicycle ergometer and a so-called stair climber. Screens in the fitness room show the users how much electricity is currently being generated. They can also use an app to view their own electricity production and start challenges.

TU President Angela Ittel at the inauguration of the new sports equipment. Photo credits: Kristina Rottig/TU Braunschweig

TU President Angela Ittel is convinced: “With the new energy-generating sports equipment, we at TU Braunschweig are sending a clear signal: we don’t just want to talk about sustainability – we want to live it and actively shape it. The high-tech machines have many advantages: they help to make our campus infrastructure even greener. At the same time, they make people aware of the value of energy. Of course, we also hope that the new equipment will motivate even more members of our university to exercise and do sports.”

Mathias Steiln, Head of the University Sports Centre. Photo credits: Kristina Rottig/TU Braunschweig

Mathias Steiln, Head of the University Sports Centre at TU Braunschweig, describes his initial reaction to the new equipment: “The idea that we can not only improve our fitness through sport, but also generate energy at the same time, immediately excited us. We are setting an example for a sustainable future and showing that sport and environmental protection can go hand in hand.”