how citizens run the electrical grid and what it means for the energy transition (en)

atomstromlos. klimafreundlich. bürgereigen.

The story of the Elektrizitätswerke Schönau (EWS)

-

How citizens run the electrical grid and what it

means for the energy transition

Tanja Gaudian

Krk, 18.10.2013


Chernobyl Accident

1986 Launching of the citizens' initiative

"Eltern für eine atomfreie Zukunft"

(parents for a nuclear free future)


Anti-nuclear motivation

Inviting children from Chernobyl

Competitions in energy saving

Seminars with experts on electricity themes

Recalling of hydroelectric power plants

Financing of block-type thermal power plants

(cogeneration) and solar power plants


Democratic Legitimation

1994: Foundation of the Elektrizitätswerke Schönau (EWS)

1996: Second referendum. EWS gets the licence for electricity supply in Schönau

1991: First referendum. The licence for electricity supply

will not be prolonged prematurely


Buying the grid of Schönau

Social bank from Bochum makes a fund of 4 Mio DM to buy the electricity grid

Nation-wide donation campaign "Ich bin ein Störfall“ scores 2 Mio DM

1997: EWS buys the local grid. 100% clean energy supply in Schönau!

I am a disturbance/ an incident


The revolution goes on

1998: 150 Anniversary of the Baden Revolution. The parson and the citizens install the first

solar panels on the church without permission


Liberalization of the energy market

Since 1998 national supply of clean energy

140.000 customers for electricity, 8.500 customers for gas

Including 10.200 businesses, institutions and industry

Ursula Sladek gets the

Goldman Environmental Prize –

She thanks President Obama

with the brochure

„100 good reasons against

nuclear power“


Company structure: A cooperative


Guidelines

Demokratization of energy production and supply

Nuclear phase out and

climate protection

Energy equity


Saving Energy

Consulting

Free hiring of ammeters

Replacement of old energy pumps is

subsidized

In Schönau: 800 pumps = 320.000kWh savings

Low base fee, higher electricity fees


Energy-Contracting

EWS gets 150.000€ for modernizing the street lights of Schönau with LED

Municipality saves 35.000 kWh or 20.000€/year, amortization after 6 years

The lights are produced in the region


Support program

Every kilowatt-hour contains 0,5ct to subsidize

renewable energy plants owned by citizens

The so called "Sonnencent“ can voluntarily be

increased up to 1 or 2 ct/kWh –

10% of the customers do so

2150 renewable energy plants

22.093.230 kWh in total

Total invests of more than 35 Mio €


Clean energy producers

5 %7 %

11 %

13 %

14 % 14 %

35 %

23% of the energy in Germany was produced by renewables (2012)

Only 5% of the renewable energy plants are

owned by the big 4 energy suppliers

4 Million people are member of a renewable energy cooperative

More than 700 REScoops in Germany


Changing the distribution network

Formerly four monopolists allocated the whole marked Electricity was sent over huge transmission grids from big generating plants to customers Since 2007 more than 200 municipalities have bought back their electricity grid Grids are no longer one-way systems: Thousands of small generators must be able to feed into the grid Grids on the local level must be expanded


Buying a grid

Profitable investment: low riscs, guaranteed rate of return

Local value creation: jobs, trade tax, contracts, citizens can participate

Save supply: current investments to maintain and extend the grid


Managing a grid

Setting up of smart grids and a foresightly planning to reduce peak loads

High investments (on the level of the tax writeoff)

Underground cabling for more efficiency and less disruptions

Partizipation in research projects

(smart-meter-project, integration of RES, storage technologies)


Feed-ins in Schönau

922 kW solar power

2000 kW wind

370 kW hydro power

95 kWel cogeneration

50 kW natural gas


Energy transition

100% Renewables Decentralization Citizens involvment


Thank you

www.ews-schoenau.de

[email protected]

how citizens run the electrical grid and what it means for the energy transition (en)

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