Tag: – Target Achieved

Güssing, Austria

Güssing, Austria

  • Target: 100% renewable energy self-sufficiency.
  • Status: Achieved
  • RES: Biomass cogeneration and district heating system.
  • Implementation: Güssing is a small town in Austria, near the Hungarian border. Years ago, the town was struggling to pay for energy costs, today it is a trendsetter in the production renewable energies, particular in biomass gasification technology. Güssing implemented a renewable energy plan as part of an overall regional economic development and re-development plan. It started with a energy efficiency program in 1990, the town laid out plans to keep jobs and money in the area by taking ownership of their energy usage and production. The municipality would switch all the streetlights to LED and retrofit all the public buildings with new windows and insulation over a decade. The town also decided to stop using power produced by fossil fuels. Güssing’s agricultural and forestry provided the organic material for fuelling the community operated biomass district heating grids and in 2001, it began producing electricity and biogas in the world’s first functioning FICFB (Fast Internally Circulating Fluidized Bed) plant. Güssing’s success has let the way for the entire region of Burgenland to follow as energy prosumers. In 2013, the entire region produced enough locally produced electricity to cover demand. Güssing itself has become a tourist attraction for the renewable energy field, experiencing several hundred ecotourists a year. There have also been a substantial amount of businesses being established in, or have moved to, the region, resulting in an increase of local employment. The town now has 60 new companies, 1,500 new jobs, and annual revenues of $17 million due to energy sales. Güssing’s successes also attracted R&D, in particular was the foundation of the European Center for Renewable Energy founded in 1996 and remains central to Güssing's renewable energy industry today.
  • Population: 3,660 (2016)
  • Area: 49.31 km2 (19.04 sq mi)
  • Link: https://pocacito.eu/sites/default/files/ModelGüssing_Güssing.pdf
Güssing, Austria

Hartberg, Austria

Hartberg, Austria

  • Target: 100% CO2 neutral by 2020.
  • Status: Achieved
  • RES: District heating system, biomass energy, and solar thermal and photovoltaic panels on all roofs.
  • Implementation: The city of Hartberg in Austria has set a 100% CO2-neutral target to include all buildings, industry as well as private households. The target is based on the CO2-neutral concept, elaborated by Joanneum Research, which had shown that a non-carbon society is not only necessary to mitigate climate change, but can also be extremely beneficial in terms of local added value. For the past 20 years, several measures have been implemented by the city.  In 2015, many important milestones were achieved, including supplying heat to all buildings through a district heating system that runs on woodchips, purchasing only renewable electricity from hydro-, wind- and solar power stations,  installing as much solar-thermal energy as possible and covering all available roof-surfaces with photovoltaic-cells. The involvement of different stakeholders was instrumental in Hartberg's success. Discussions were extensive and included private individuals, universities, energy experts, car-sharing providers, e-car pioneers, biogas pioneers, and so forth. However the most important partners in such a project were the local politicians, the local authorities, the district heating supplier and a local utility company.
  • Population: 6,534 (2016)
  • Area: 21.58 km2 (8.33 sq mi)
Hartberg, Austria

Iceland

Reykjavik, Iceland

  • Target: 100% renewable energy target in the electricity sector
  • Status: Achieved - >99% of the electricity production and >70% of the total energy production come from hydropower and geothermal sources. The country´s buildings are mostly heated with renewable energy and overall 81% of Iceland’s primary energy is renewable, with the remaining 19% based on oil which is used for transportation.
  • RES: Hydropower and geothermal resources. Iceland is a volcanic island with plentiful geothermal heat.
  • Implementation: The country is successful due to its geothermal-based electricity production. In relation to heating, after geothermal water is used for heating buildings, the rest - pavements and car parking are also heated. The island´s vast geothermal capacity is also enabling regional cooperation with the UK, with the construction of an interconnector into the UK grid currently in discussion. Energy projects have largely been developed as part of the Icelandic Clean Energy initiatives, a Research Fund, a Technology Development Fund and a Strategic Research Programme, which include the involvement of Iceland's Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs and Ministry of Industry & Innovation.
  • Population: 355,620 (2018)
  • Area: 102,775 km2 (39,682 sq mi)
  • Link: Iceland's Sustainable Energy Story: A Model for the World?
Reykjavik, Iceland

Jühnde, Germany

Jühnde, Germany

  • Target: 100% renewable energy
  • Status: Achieved
  • RES: Mainly bio-energy, some solar photovoltaics.
  • Implementation: Wildpoldsried is a small village located in Lower Saxony in Northern Germany. In 2006, Jühnde became the first village in Germany to be energy self-sufficient. The municipality is using 25% of municipal farmland and 10% of forest land to supply 100% of its heating and more than 200% of its electricity needs with bio-energy, such as methane from cow manure and wood chips. Jühnde, like many other German towns that have successfully achieved high uptake of renewables, has benefited from the German Feed-in Tariff Law or Renewable Sources Act (EEG), which encourage robust investment in renewable technologies, like solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, and small hydro, including local participation. In Germany, the majority of installed renewable energy is owned by citizens, farmers, and small businesses.
  • Population: 985 (2017)
  • Area: 24.49 km2 (9.46 sq mi)
  • Link: (Also in English) http://www.bioenergiedorf.de/home.html
Jühnde, Germany

Kisielice, Poland

Kisielice, Poland

  • Target: 100% renewable electricity
  • Status: Achieved - The town achieved the 100% target in September 2014.
  • RES: Three windfarms, a biomass CHP plant, a biogas power plant, and a district heating system.
  • Implementation: The small town of Kisielice in northern Poland is an extraordinary example of local energy transformation. It is a pioneering model for a country which relies 90% on coal for the generation of electricity. The town achieved its 100% target in 2014 by adopted small, localised solutions. Part of the town electricity is delivered by two wind farms which together consist of 50 wind turbines with a total capacity of 94.5MW. A third 24MW wind farm is under construction and already partly operating. Local farmers get an extra income of about 5,000 €  per year for the lease of each wind turbine installed on their land.  A 6MW biomass CHP plant generates electricity by burning cereal straws which are purchased from local farmers. The plant is connected to a district heating system which provides heating to 250 buildings, i.e. serving more than 90% of the local population. When the construction of a biogas power plant driven by silage corn was completed in December 2013, the town was able to produce an extra 1 MW of heat and 1 MW of electricity. Since then, the municipality is planning to invest in a solar PV farm as well as financing local micro solutions such as small wind turbines, roof solar panels and heat pumps for local residences.
  • Population: 2,183 (2017)
  • Area: 3.37 km2 (1.30 sq mi)
  • Link: https://cleantechnica.com/2014/09/18/polish-town-100-renewable-energy/
Kisielice, Poland

Knežice, Czech Republic

Kněžice, Czech Republic

  • Target: 100% renewable energy
  • Status: Achieved
  • RES: Biogass and biomass plants
  • Implementation: Knežice is a small village located around 80 km from Prague)  in the Czech Republic. Today it is energy self-sufficient thanks to a bioenergy facility, which consists of a biogas plant with CHP (330 kWel and 400 kWth) and a biomass heating plant (boilers 800+400 kW). The technology supplies the population with more than 90% heat and produces significantly more electricity than the village consumes, so that electricity can be sold. Additionally, the use of biogas units solves the problem in Knežice of organic waste processing. The centre operated by the municipality also produces pellets for heating houses in the neighbouring area. The village has also won the Czech solar award from EUROSOLAR and is beginning to promote its successes in a new information centre in a former mill. It also leads a micro-region of five municipalities that have recently signed the Covenant of Mayors (CoM) and are preparing a joint SEAP. The major driving force of events is mayor Milan Kazda.
  • Population: 510 (2006)
  • Area: 7.56 sq mi (19.57 km2)
  • Link: http://www.nupharo.com/community/knezice-village
Kněžice, Czech Republic

Kodiak, Alaska, USA

Kodiak, Alaska, USA

  • Target: Produce 100% of the town’s electrical demand with renewable energy by 2020.
  • Status: Achieved - By 2014, 99.7% of the electricity came from wind and hydropower.
  • RES: Wind turbines, smart battery system, grid integration, hydropower.
  • Implementation: In 2008, a renewable energy fund was convened by the State of Alaska via the Alaska Energy Authority. Since, a total of US$55.6 million has been directly and indirectly invested through cooperation with Kodiak Electric Association (KEA).
  • Population: 15,000
  • Area: 13.05 km²
  • Link: https://www.city.kodiak.ak.us/
Kodiak, Alaska, USA

Kuzumaki, Japan

Kuzumaki, Japan

  • Target: 100% renewable energy
  • Status: Achieved
  • RES: Wind power and solar power
  • Implementation: In 2005, the Japanese town of Kuzumaki officially set the target of producing 100% of its energy needs through local renewable sources. The town council decided to implement several measures to increase awareness and involvement of its residents by holding town meetings, establishing educational tours, and publishing a monthly newsletter. Energy demonstration projects were initiated. In collaboration with private businesses, the city began to promote and implement wind power, biomass plants and other renewables.

    Today, Kuzumaki produces more than 100% of their energy needs through renewable sources. Around 180% of its energy needs is met through local renewable energy Institutional support. A subsidy of 30,000 yen per kW (max of 90,000 yen) is made available for solar PV installation with up to 50,000 yen available for installation of solar heating systems. To address transportation needs, the town offers 50,000 yen subsidies for the purchase of hybrid or electric vehicles. One half of the installation cost (max of 100,000 yen) is also available for installation of wood biomass heating systems (wood chip, pellet stoves). And 100,000 yen subsidies are possible for other renewables such as small hydro and wind power.

    Kuzumaki's road to 100% began in 1999 when the municipality inaugurated its ‘New Energy Vision’ program, with support from the New Energy Foundation (NEF) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). Prior to this, the municipality had invested in Eco-World Kuzumaki Wind Power, Ltd. In June 1999, three 400kw-windmills were installed in Sodeyama-kogen Ranch, with enough electricity produced for 900 households, which is sold to the Tohoku Electric Power. Current annual turnover is 28 million yen, and the town also gets property tax income (20 million yen annually, averaged over 15 years). In March 2000, a solar power generator was installed in Kuzumaki Junior High School. This generates 50kw of electricity, but provides 25% of the school’s demand, and also encourages the students to get interested in clean energy. A survey to check wind conditions was conducted over two years and revealed promising sites for wind power generation. In 2001, the Green Power Kuzumaki Wind-Power Generation, Ltd. was founded. In 2002, twelve 1,750kw wind were installed, providing electricity for 16,000 households. The municipality supported the project by helping arrange planning permission and facilitating the procedures prior to the construction phase. In 2000, a feasibility study into bio-mass energy was conducted. In 2002, a generation facility was built using animal manure mixed with kitchen waste to produce methane gas, which is then used for electricity generation. Slurry left from the process is used as fertilizer. Its forests provide a valuable resource for making wood chips, with forestry waste used to make wood-pellet fuel. In Kuzumaki, the local winery uses a boiler with wood-pellet fuel. Another source of energy is hydropower at its ‘Seven Waterfalls’ area. The town also runs a ‘Natural Energy School’, which has its own windmill and solar-power generator.
  • Population: 6,149 (2016)
  • Area: 434.99 km2 (167.95 sq mi)
  • Link: https://www.gef.or.jp/20club/E/kuzumaki-e.htm
Kuzumaki, Japan

Las Gaviotas, Colombia

Las Gaviotas, Colombia

  • Target: 100% renewable energy
  • Status: Achieved
  • RES: Solar panels, wind turbines and a water pump.
  • Implementation: In 1971, Paolo Lugari, a development specialist, brought together a group of scientists, artists, and former street kids to see if they could create a sustainable village in the middle of the uninhabited eastern plains of Llanos Colombia. This region at the time was  so remote and so poor in soil quality, untouched even by the country's political upheavals. Lugari wanted to prove that his ecological village model would be possible anywhere. The group set out through experiments and  innovations, to create Las Gaviatos: a thriving ecosystem and eco-village of 200 people. The village since then has resisted drug wars and violence. Today, there are no guns, no police force, no cars, no mayor, no church, no priest, no cellphones, no television, no Internet. However, Gaviotas has created a range of innovations intended to make human life feasible in one of the most challenging ecosystems. It sources its energy from a variety of renewable energy installations, including solar panels and wind turbines. It has created a solar kettle for sterilising water, a solar kitchen, and a water pump powered by children on a seesaw. The community  also grows their own food and have seen a return of wildlife that had not inhabited the area for many generations. In the 1990s, the villagers began exporting resin sourced from pine trees. Part of a 19,800-acre reforestation project, the resin is used for biofuel in the community's tractors and motorbikes, or processed for market sale to use in products like varnishes and linseed oil. The trees have also provided a vital canopy for native plant species to flourish under.
  • Population: 200 inhabitants
  • Area: 8,000 hectares (first phase reforestation)
  • Link: CENTRO LAS GAVIOTAS
Las Gaviotas, Colombia

Lüchow-Dannenberg, Germany

Wet meadow landscape, Lüchow-Dannenberg, Germany

  • Target: 100% of electricity needs with renewable energy.
  • Status: Achieved
  • RES: Solar PV systems, biogas facilities, wind turbines, small river-based hydropower, and combined heat and power plant.
  • Implementation: The district of Lüchow-Dannenberg is located at the far eastern tip of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen) in the center of Germany. The district is comprised of 27 cities and has long played role in Germany's energy policy. Today Lüchow-Dannenberg is leading the way on renewable energy.

    It began in 1997 when a working group on climate protection and energy set an ambitious target of meeting 100% of Lüchow-Dannenberg's electricity needs with renewable energies. The district was motivated by the need to to improve environmental stewardship, and the need to address high regional unemployment. On May 1, 2011, Lüchow-Dannenberg reached its goal - 4 years ahead of schedule.

    The district's power mix is a diverse mix of technologies that generates 300 million kWh annually. 3% of the mix comes from 630 solar PV systems totaling 10 MW. 34% comes from 24 biogas facilities totally 15 MW. And 63% comes from 71 wind turbines totaling 108 MW. There is also some small river-based hydropower. Lüchow-Dannenberg has taken its renewable energy efforts beyond electricity to also include the heating and transportation sectors. For instance, the village of Jameln has a biogas fueling station for vehicles, and the village of Püggen heats all its homes with a combined heat and power plant. One school in Dannenberg is heated entirely from wood chips derived from local forest waste. The district has also created a higher education institution called the Renewable Energy Academy, which offers a range of coursework pertaining to renewables, including science, law, finance and management.

  • Population: 48,357 (2017)
  • Area: 1,220 km2 (470 sq mi)
  • Link: Masterplan „100% Klimaschutz in Lüchow-Dannenberg
Wet meadow landscape, Lüchow-Dannenberg, Germany