Agency for Renewable Energies e.V. (opm) – Preserving creation with renewable energies
Following the mission statement “Preserving Creation”, the Ecumenical Energy Cooperative from the town of Horb am Neckar has been committed to the expansion of renewable energies since 2010. The most recent photovoltaic system has been producing electricity on the roof of the Horber retirement home since June 2015. The cooperative initiated by the two environmental teams from the Protestant and Catholic parishes is an example of the cooperatives that Pope Francis positively highlighted in his recently published circular. The collective advancement of the energy transition can also be found in the energy policy of the city of Horb itself, which the Renewable Energy Agency now recognizes as an energy municipality.
In the “Laudato si’ – On Care for the Common Home”, Pope Francis criticized that the far-reaching expansion of renewable energies is not yet as strong as is necessary due to man-made climate change. It is urgently necessary to develop political programs in order to drastically reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide and other highly polluting gases in the coming years, for example by replacing the combustion of fossil fuels and expanding renewable energies. Pope Francis positively highlights those cooperatives that use renewable energies and “the enable local self-sufficiency including the sale of surplus production.”
An example of such a cooperative is the Horber Ecumenical Energy Cooperative, which has been building and operating photovoltaic systems since 2010. “The motivation for our members is the preservation of the environment and the development of a fairer world,” explains board member Johannes Mayer. “In view of climate change, investments in the field of renewable energies are urgently needed.” Out of Christian responsibility for the preservation of creation, the main goal of the Ecumenical Energy Cooperative Horb eG, together with citizens, ecumenical churches, municipalities, companies and Institutions to realize local and regional energy projects. Part of the revenue generated by the renewable energy systems flows into “One World Work” energy projects, which are active in developing countries. “The example of Horb am Neckar shows that churches can also play an important role in the local energy transition. As institutions at the center of society, they can ensure social support,” says Nils Boenigk, deputy managing director of the Agency for Renewable Energy.
The year the ecumenical energy cooperative was founded also marked the commitment of city representatives to develop Horb into a climate-neutral city by 2050. The aim is to reduce the carbon footprint by at least 40 percent by 2020. The energy requirement of the city with around 24,300 inhabitants was 674,000 megawatt hours in 2009. This corresponds to a carbon dioxide balance of 222,500 tons and costs of around 75 million euros. “In close cooperation between citizens, churches, politics, business and administration, we develop and implement concrete projects in Horb,” says Mayor Peter Rosenberger. “I am very happy that the local climate protection conferences are an instrument in which everyone can participate in developing ideas for the climate-neutral Horb.” Three events have already taken place so far. After the first two, an integrated climate protection concept was created. One result of this constructive dialogue is the founding of the Horb Energy Agency. Since 2012, private individuals and municipalities, as well as industry and commerce, have been able to get advice here on energy efficiency, energy savings and switching to renewable energies. At the last climate protection conference in January 2014, 50 participants exchanged ideas on the four topic areas of “renewable energies”, “mobility”, “awareness raising and public relations” and “CO2 efficiency”.
On the way to their goal, the Horbers have already implemented many other measures: renewable energy systems (photovoltaics, hydropower, biomass) are in operation, local heating networks have been expanded, energy-saving renovations and heating replacements as well as energy management have been carried out in numerous municipal properties and the street lighting has been upgraded to energy-saving ones Converted to LED technology. The most recent in Meilenstadt is the wood gasification plant, which the Horb municipal utility company has been operating as the city’s own company since 2015 on the site of the former Hohenberg barracks. The system generates heat and electricity from wood pellets. It has an electrical output of around 400 kilowatts and a thermal output of up to 540 kilowatts. By autumn 2015, a heat storage tank will be added, which, with a diameter of 23 meters and a height of 9 meters, can hold a total of 3 million liters of water. The memory is used to compensate for peak loads. Peak load occurs particularly in the morning when local heating customers need warm water, for example to shower. This demand can then be covered with the storage system, so that gas or oil-powered systems no longer have to start up in the morning peak.
The online portal provides a complete portrait of the energy municipality www.kommunal-erneuerbar.de
Source: July 21, 2015; www.unendlich-viel-energie.de
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