The climate activists of “WOR For Future” want that in Wolfratshausen more is done for active climate protection. For months they have been quietly protesting in front of the city council meetings in the Loisachhalle. Their demands also include the expansion of renewable energies. After all, the energy transition is “the most important lever” for solving the climate crisis, they explain on their homepage – and show that there is a great need for action in their hometown. “Wolfratshausen currently brings up the rear when it comes to the share of renewable energies in the region,” they explain. This is the result they come to after an evaluation of the market master data register of the Federal Network Agency, which lists all renewable energy systems according to municipalities. According to this, the share of regenerative energy per capita in the Loisachstadt is 22 percent, behind Geretsried (27), Bad Tölz (34) and Penzberg (57 percent).
The Climate Alliance sees an opportunity to change that primarily in photovoltaics. Wolfratshausen is also in last place in the comparison of cities when it comes to the proportion of electricity generated from solar cells: According to the market master data register and the Bavarian Energy Atlas, the proportion is only 15 percent, less than that of Bad Tölz with 23, Geretsried with 26 and Penzberg with 34 percent . They found that there were “similar framework conditions” in Wolfratshausen. Therefore, “WOR For Future” calls for a photovoltaic initiative by the city. This should undertake to expand PV on public properties, either in-house or by making roofs available. The demands also include that the city and district should actively identify locations for open-space systems, that a “solar obligation” should be implemented through development plans and urban development contracts, and that the municipal utilities should go “on the solar offensive” with the help of leased roofs, tenant electricity projects and the like.
These demands are also supported by the Greens, who recently discussed in an online discussion with “WOR For Future” members the possibilities of how one can promote communal climate protection. City councilor Rudi Seibt refers to the district’s solar potential register, in which most of the buildings on the Wolfratshausen map are marked in green as “well suited”. “The many beautiful roofs here, almost all of which are suitable for using solar energy, are not equipped with solar power modules or solar thermal energy,” Seibt regrets in a press release. “The large number of private roofs, but also the roofs of urban houses, offer great potential for improving the poor CO₂ balance in our city.” Of course, there are also restrictions, according to Seibt – understandable, such as in the case of the Eagle-Burgmann site, on which a demolition with a new building is planned, but also “incomprehensible” ones, for example in the case of the old town ensemble due to the protection of monuments. “Of course, some of the green roofs are already occupied,” he adds. “There thinkers and better calculators have already made their mark.”
Jan Reiners from “WOR For Future” shows that photovoltaic systems can be economically viable on the alliance’s website using the example of the Farchet multi-purpose hall. According to the solar cadastre, the city could generate up to 177 kilowatts with a system there, especially on the south-eastern roof surfaces, consume 50 percent of it itself and save around 112,000 euros in 20 years.
When asked why there is “such reluctance” among homeowners and traders in terms of photovoltaics in Wolfratshausen, neither the Green parliamentary group in the city council, nor the climate activists or private initiatives, have so far found an answer, according to Seibt. “The answer most often heard is that everything is so complicated and that the others should do something first.” The city offers advice “almost free of charge”, he explains, referring to Vivian Horngacher, the environmental and climate protection manager in the town hall, who is happy to help private individuals and companies alike. “Maybe then Wolfratshausen will be able to hand over the ‘red lantern’ in terms of the energy transition.”
In order to promote the expansion of renewable energies in private households, there is a funding program that the city administration has worked out in cooperation with the city council’s cross-faction working group on the climate emergency. According to this, so-called balcony power plants and innovative battery storage systems are to be funded with an annual amount of 40,000 euros. The PV balcony power plants, also known as “plug-and-play” power plants, the acquisition of which is subsidized with 30 percent, should also enable tenants to have their own solar power system. The other focus is on storing electricity. Because of the currently low feed-in tariff, the potential of photovoltaic systems lies primarily in the self-consumption of solar energy, according to the paper. But since this is very volatile, battery storage systems are needed. However, only innovative storage technologies that, unlike the currently dominant lithium power storage systems, do without rare raw materials that are problematic for the environment: vanadium redox flow batteries and salt water battery storage systems are to be funded. The funding program is expected to start next year. The city council should have made the corresponding decision in October. Due to the expected tight financial situation in 2022, it was postponed until after the budget deliberations.
www.worforfuture.de