A main street, a stadium, a church, 130 inhabitants, and a fire station: the village of Feldheim south of Berlin is at first glance a hamlet, like many others in this rural area. But it attracts visitors from all over the world. For 16 years, Feldheim has lived in energy self-sufficiency.
From our correspondent in Berlin,
« This wind turbine produces 8 to 9 million kWh per year; this represents eight times the needs of the village. The rest goes into the network. And that’s just one wind turbine.» Feldheim has around fifty in total, which allows the village of 130 inhabitants, south of Berlin, to supply electricity to 50,000 people. In addition to these wind turbines, there are solar panels. When the wind and sun leave something to be desired, a storage battery allows residents to not stay in the dark or have to resort to the external network. The village has also created its own, identical to that of an official supplier.
A biogas installation which runs on manure and cereal waste provides heating for around thirty homes. In 2010, Feldheim proclaimed its energy self-sufficiency. Petra Richter was born in the village: “We are lucky to be a self-sufficient village known throughout the world. All the inhabitants are happy to have this cheap energy and they are proud of their village. »
Like her neighbors, Petra Richter pays 12 cents per kilowatt hour for her electricity, two to three times less than elsewhere in Germany. The explosion of prices after the start of the war in Ukraine four years ago, like the recent rise in oil prices, does not affect the residents of Feldheim, except those who do not have an electric car and have to refuel. Feldheim has an information center that welcomes 3,000 visitors and experts from around the world each year. Former Chancellor Olaf Scholz came there two years ago.
A unique model
But this example remains an isolated case, as underlined by Michael Knape, mayor for a quarter of a century of Treuenbrietzen, to which the hamlet of Feldheim is attached: “They didn’t take us seriously at the start and they let us get on with it. Today such a project would no longer be possible. The technology is there, the support of the population too, but the legal conditions are not met. This clearly shows that this energy transition in Germany lacks ambition. »
Expert Bernd Hirschl also emphasizes that the German model needs more flexibility for the Feldheim model to become a lesson: “We need rules that allow renewable energy to be used on site without a village being forced to build its own network. Feldheim is a great project but with enormous efforts. »
In any case, the residents benefit from cheap electricity, the town hall from positive financial benefits and the commitment of the villagers has strengthened the cohesion of this small rural town.
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