Households, entrepreneurs; they all notice the high energy prices. Local authorities also pay the full price. The municipality of Midden-Drenthe announces in the budget that it concerns an extra 1.2 million in unforeseen energy costs. The municipality must therefore look for ‘creative solutions’.
The town hall, some village houses and sports facilities. The municipality pays for a large part of the heating costs of various government buildings. Sports facilities in particular require a lot of energy. That is why the municipality has ideas for saving there.
“We have to make smarter choices,” says Councilor for Facilities Rico Schans (Municipality Interests). “We have to look closely at the opening hours, temperature and lighting at the locations. Can it be planned in such a way that the activities follow each other immediately and there are no breaks when the space is not used and you have to heat it again? And can the light be turned off? if no one is there? That’s what we’re busy with.”
The Municipal Executive also proposes to bring forward renovations and new construction plans for the sports facilities. “There are many (re)construction plans on the schedule,” says Schans. “The Drenthehal and the sports hall in Smilde, for example, will have to be tackled in the coming years. We have not yet found any examples where the deadline can be brought forward immediately, but we are looking at whether we can bring something forward.”
The 1.2 million euros in unforeseen energy costs partly consist of incidental expenses, says Alderman for Finance Dennis Bouwman (PvdA). “You can only do that for a maximum of three years, otherwise it will still be structural. So we have to look critically at savings in the coming year.”
Sustainability therefore does not stop at government buildings. The College of Central Drenthe also wants to generate more green energy itself. The number of solar parks in the municipality has been limited for a long time, but that will change in the coming years. “We are going to write an assignment and then choose the best plan, just like a beauty contest“, sustainability alderman Jan Schipper tries to explain. “But the connection to the grid will be a major challenge. The grid capacity is still insufficient, which is a major concern.”
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