Title:
Tackling the Energy Transition on a Local Level - 10 Years of Bioenergy Villages in Germany
Author(s):
Bohnet, S.
Document(s):
Paper
Abstract:
Ten years ago, when the first village began to power itself with electricity and heat from biomass, more and more villages adapted this strategy for generating energy. However, these projects do not have a clear definition or description, and it is not yet possible to estimate the contribution of these ‘bioenergy villages’ to the renewable energy supply or regional development. The goal of this research project was to map the development of bioenergy villages in Germany and to show the design, background and progress of this idea. In total, 55 % of the identified projects could be evaluated. It was found that the individual projects vary strongly in the coverage of the local heat and electricity demand and in the possibility of citizens’ participation. The analysis showed that the original idea of a bioenergy village was further developed over time. This idea is not only seen as a local project to expand renewable energies and to reduce greenhouse gases, it is also an opportunity for local communities to explore new sources of income in underprivileged and peripheral regions. The examination delivered a comprehensive empirical basis to describe the diversity of bioenergy village projects in Germany.
Keywords:
rural development, regional, socio-economic impact, local, households
Topic:
Biomass Policies, Markets and Sustainability
Subtopic:
Biomass strategies and policies
Event:
21st European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
5BO.5.4
Pages:
1748 - 1753
ISBN:
978-88-89407-53-0
Paper DOI:
10.5071/21stEUBCE2013-5BO.5.4
Price:
FREE
