Energy & heat: district, municipalities and EWF plan together
At the moment, everyone is asking themselves the question: How will I heat in the future? Whether by windmills, via biogas plants, photovoltaics, geothermal energy or even by industrial waste heat: Which form of energy makes the most sense for whom and in which place in Waldeck-Frankenberg is what the district, the cities and municipalities and Energie Waldeck-Frankenberg want to draw up a joint concept for - and have drafted a corresponding target agreement, which the district council will discuss at its meeting on 10 July.
Energy and heat: "matching" supply and demand
"Essentially, it is about cleverly matching supply and demand in the area of energy and heat - and expanding it in a sensible and sustainable way," is how District Administrator Jürgen van der Horst describes the core of the agreement. The regional energy supplier Energie Waldeck-Frankenberg is to be commissioned with the conception of this so-called communal energy and heat planning, which will cover at least the entire district. "However, energy needs and offers naturally do not end at the municipal border. That is why we also want to look beyond the district borders."
The preparation of the joint heat planning of the district and the 21 municipalities by the EWF will be discussed by the district's deputies at the district council meeting on 10 July. The background to this is that municipalities in Hesse with more than 20,000 inhabitants are obliged as of this November to develop, continuously update and publish a municipal heating plan in order to achieve the energy and climate targets. In addition, the topic is in any case part of the district's climate protection strategy, which the district administration is currently working on.
Cross-county concept
"We want to think beyond municipal boundaries in this context," van der Horst explains further. "Creating a cross-county concept is not only logical and sensible. It also relieves the municipalities, because they do not have to raise their own funds for it. A win-win situation for all involved." Together with the EWF as a regional energy supplier, they have an expert and strong partner in energy matters at their side. In this way, the planned acquisition of subsidies would also be located in one place.
EWF Managing Director Frank Benz also emphasises the importance of close cooperation: "If we want to successfully master the energy and heat transition, good and trusting cooperation is the key to success. We have always worked closely with the municipalities - on many construction measures, on reliable energy supply and, of course, on the topic of renewable energies. With planning for all municipalities, we also reach a result more quickly." EWF also benefits from its experience in modern heat supply: "We operate district heating networks in the region and ensure that heat pumps are reliably supplied with electricity. Last but not least, we have always been looking at how we need to transform our grids in order to successfully solve upcoming tasks."
Assistance for private households
The joint planning concept is also intended not only to provide security of supply for Waldeck-Frankenberg, but also to support all citizens in the district in the question of how they would like to heat and obtain energy in the future and in the long term in a way that is as climate-neutral as possible. In this context, the local conditions and infrastructure are of particular importance.
Some examples: Companies or industry that produce large amounts of waste heat could in future also supply private households. Or: At locations where, for example, municipal buildings consume a lot of energy anyway, a heating network could be installed from which single-family homes could also benefit. Or: Private individuals could obtain energy and heat from neighbouring biogas plants. In localities where this is not the case, it could again make sense to supply people with energy and heat through photovoltaics in combination with a heat pump. "All these aspects need to be combined in a plan for the entire district - and to knit together a clever concept for everyone," concludes the district administrator.
Keywords:
Environment and Climate Protection Energy Waldeck-Frankenberg