For a good five years, the large community has been promoting energy saving with grants – but this year there will be no more funding for this. Because, as climate protection manager Tobias Aschwer has now announced, the funds for this year are as good as used up after three quarters. The reason is likely to be found in the current turmoil on the energy market, at least that’s what the applications for subsidies suggest.
A subsidy for so-called balcony power plants was particularly in demand this year. These are small photovoltaic systems that you can simply attach to the balcony railing, for example, and thus enjoy free electricity. Apparently, a particularly large number of people in Vaterstetten wanted this this year, and a total of 74 applications had been received and approved by mid-September. According to the figures presented by the Environment Agency, it is evident that interest in small solar systems increased sharply with the start of the war in Ukraine. By the end of February this year, the number of balcony power plants in Vaterstetten was just four, only to increase tenfold by the end of July.
This has an effect on the subsidy pots: a total of 16,472.34 euros were approved for the purchase of balcony power plants this year. Together with the funds for the purchase of cargo bikes – seven applications were made and approved – which this year amounts to 6400 euros, as well as the two grants for the green roof program for a total of 1540 euros, the 25000 euros in subsidies are almost used up.
The municipality’s energy-saving support program has been in existence for almost fifteen years, starting in 2008 with subsidies for energy-efficient household appliances. Since then, the funding guidelines have changed again and again. Among other things, new heating pumps, charging stations for electric cars and electricity storage were promoted. In addition to subsidies for balcony power plants, cargo bikes and green roofs, you can currently also apply for thermographic examinations of the house and for cloth diapers – but only again from January.