In its history, the Institute of Thermal Power Engineering refers to the Department of Theory of Thermal Machines, established in August 1956, headed until 1962 by prof. Jan Szałajka. This department was included in the structure of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the Poznań University of Technology. It was established on the basis of the Department of Boilers and Steam Machines established in 1952 at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the Engineering School. In 1962, the head of the Department was taken over by prof. who came from the Lodz University of Technology. Edmund Tuliszka and from that moment the dynamic development of the unit began. In 1970, due to changes in the organizational structure of the university, the Department of Theory of Thermal Machines was transformed into the Department of Thermal Technology as part of the newly established Institute of High-Pressure Ship and Railway Engines, attached to the Faculty of Working Machines and Vehicles. In the same year, the plant was moved to newly constructed premises in the mechanical building at Piotrowo Street. The management of this new structure was entrusted to prof. Edmund Tuliszka. In 1974, due to the change of the name of the institute, the plant was incorporated into the Institute of Thermal Technology and Combustion Engines, whose director was prof. Edmund Tuliszka. Then the head of the department was taken over by prof. Józef Pientka. In 1980, prof. Edmund Tuliszka returned to the position of head of the Thermal Technology Department, which he held until his retirement. In 1990, the management was taken over again by prof. Józef Pientka. In 1993, the Department of Thermal Technology was excluded from the Institute of Thermal Technology and Combustion Engines and an independent Department of Thermal Technology was established within the structure of the Faculty of Working Machines and Vehicles. Until his retirement, the department was headed by the initiator of this reorganization, Prof. Józef Pientka. In the years 1995 - 2012, the head of the Department was prof. Leon Bogusławski. In the years 2012 - 2016 the head was prof. Michał Ciałkowski. Since 2016, the Head of the Department has been prof. Ph.D. engineer Andrzej Frąckowiak. On January 1, 2020, as a result of structural changes carried out at the Poznań University of Technology, the Division of Thermal Technology was transformed into the Institute of Thermal Energy. The Division of Aviation Engineering and the Division of Fuels and Renewable Energy were also established. 

Major achievements:

• Monographs, articles and papers, participation in national and international scientific conferences, as well as scientific titles and degrees. 
• Implementation into the production of tested structures of low-power heating boilers for solid, liquid and gaseous fuels and air heaters. 
• Development of measurement characteristics of devices for measuring air velocity (pressure and volume flow). 
• Development of a series of types of radial blowers and compressors and their implementation into production (the blowers have been awarded many awards at fairs, exhibitions and competitions, including the award of the Prime Minister) 
• TORUS company (the boiler from this series received the Gold Medal of the Poznań International Fair in 2000)

Foreign cooperation with research centers:

• TU Dresden
• TU Berlin
• FU Berlin
• Universitat Stuttgart
• CNRS Marsylia
• Sztokholm University of Technology
• Gas Warme Instytut w Essen