It seems as if everyone all over is dreading opening their energy bills nowadays, preparing for heavy inflation hikes as utility organizations pass on the surging cost of gas, oil, and power in light of what is going on in Eastern Europe. Many are attempting to alleviate things by cranking the heat down and turning lights off this time of the year.
However, while the rest of the world seems to be in a fight over inflation and the ever-rising costs of power, one small city – Feldheim, with a population of 130, isn’t feeling the strain. Situated about 90 minutes south of Berlin, this humble yet well-kept village has been energy independent for over 10 years.
An interesting experiment during the 1990s saw Feldheim erect a modest bunch of wind turbines to give power to the town. Then, at that point, it fabricated a regional grid, solar panels, battery capacity, and more turbines. A biogas plant set up to keep piglets warm was extended, cranking out additional revenue with the ranchers’ help, which siphons steaming water through a town-wide central heating system. A hydrogen creation facility is likewise under development.
So, it would seem that we have the technology to change things for the better, but we just don’t move in that direction.
Presently, 55 turbines are visible yet not heard on the farmlands around Feldheim and occupants partake in probably the least expensive power and gas rates in Germany.
“They can all sleep well at night,” says Kathleen Thompson, who works for a neighborhood educational association, the New Energies Forum. “They’ve got no concerns because the prices are not going to change, not in the immediate future anyway.”
Feldheim’s involved way to deal with creating its eco-accommodating energy draws a large number of guests from around the world every year and contrasts with how Germany in general continues to utilize fossil fuel imports for a lot of its energy needs. That turned out to be horrendously clear when the conflict in Eastern Europe began, overturning the dependence Germany and other European nations had on Moscow’s coal, oil, and natural gas.
Despite Germany pumping billions into the development of eco-friendly power to diminish ‘climate changing’ emissions, gas and nuclear were liable for the greater part of the nation’s gross power production in the first past half year of this year.
An absence of adequate transmission capacity implies wind parks in the north routinely must be closed down while fossil fuel plants are started up to give power to production lines in the south. Allowing local people to partake in — and benefit from — the project was vital to Feldheim’s prosperity, said Michael Knape, city hall leader of Treuenbrietzen, a region in which Feldheim has a place.
While wind parks in other various places in Germany frequently face resistance, including a few run-down adjoining villages, Feldheim’s close-knit local area supported countless turbines that exchange around 250-fold the amount of power it consumes.
“In Germany, you sometimes get the impression that if someone makes a mistake then it’s a huge problem. However, it’s just in that way that we gain ground,” Knape said.
Feldheim’s grassroots method to deal with producing clean energy stands out unmistakably from the overarching practice in Germany, where massive energy organizations will more often than not form and control huge power projects. However, Knape is confident that Germany’s energy advancement can catch up and be molded after Feldheim.
“I’m firmly convinced that given the current pressure in Europe…it’s become clear to everyone that we need to approach this differently than before,” he concluded.
Hopefully, this model could be replicated in various places all over to help alleviate the rising costs of energy but knowing how the government likes to be in control of everything, we may not see such progress for the people anytime soon.
This story syndicated with permission from For the Love of News