The Move to Alternative Energy in Germany – What can cities and citizens‘ do?

MECINE-NetworkRoskilde Meeting

6.-9. June 2012

Dr. Kai Masser,German Research Institutefor Public Administration Speyer

Obstacles (mostly discussed)

• (Alternative) Energy can not be produced were it is needed (e.g. Offshore Windparks ((in the north) and Metropolitan Regions (in the south)• (Alternative) Energy can not be produced when it is needed (e.g. the sun is shining in the summer, heating is needed in the winter)

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Therefore

• (New) ways (Plants, e.g. storage-lakes) to store energy are needed

• Energy has to be transferred (Preferably by Electricity Grids)

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But

• There is more and more resistance from citizens against new plants and measures

• Energy prices (might) rise due to high investments

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Opportunities

• Locally / Regionally (in cities and towns) produced energy might reduce the need for Electricity Grids• If municipalities and citizens’ have (monetary) benefits resistance might be less intensive

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1. Less transaction costs: Energy must not be transferred

2. Less compensational payments (payoffs to protesters)

3. Less overcapacities from “traditional plants”, e.g. nuclear

Techniques

• Solar

• Wind

• Biogas etc.

• Cogeneration Units

• ?

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1. Local ownership (municipalities and/or citizens / stocks, Co-Ops etc.) of plants

2. Local or regional ownership of Electricity Grids?

3. New (decentralized) storage technologies?

Example: Solarcomplex

Silly Ideas

Ringwallspeicher

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