By Michael Sauerbier
The whole of Germany is groaning under rising electricity, gas and heating prices and fears that the gas supply will stop. Not the 130 inhabitants of Feldheim. Your village provides itself with energy – for twelve years!
The sun is shining, the wind is blowing gently, corn is growing in the fields. The people of Feldheim don’t need more for hot water, heating and electricity. At any time of day and season. Since 2010 they have been producing electricity and heat themselves, as the first German village.
“I haven’t looked at the electricity and gas prices since 2010,” laughs Joachim Schmidt (66), leaning back and relaxing. He pays a total of 12 cents for a kilowatt hour of electricity – almost a third of the average price. At the time, it cost him 3,000 euros to invest in Feldheim Energie GmbH & Co KG. Schmidt: “It’s paying off now.”
It’s even on the town sign of Feldheim Photo: Thomas Spikermann
Michael Raschemann (52) had the idea. As a student, he set up the first wind turbine in Feldheim in the 1990s. Then he began to give the community a share of the income. Schmidt: “We used the money to build roads, lanterns and footpaths.” The number of wind turbines quickly increased.
“Until the incorporation in Treuenbrietzen, the wind farm brought us 200,000 euros in trade tax revenue annually,” says Schmidt.
Joachim Schmidt laughingly shows his electricity meter: “We only pay 12 cents per megawatt hour” Photo: Thomas Spikermann
District heating was added in 2009. The agricultural cooperative built a biogas plant for this purpose. Chef Sebastian Herbst (41): “The gas is produced from the liquid manure from our pigs and the corn from the field. A gas turbine turns it into electricity and heat.” One megawatt for 7.5 cents.
“Every village and every town should do as we do,” says elementary school student Johann (11). “Oil, gas and coal only destroy our climate.” Photo: Thomas Spikermann
For this purpose, the Feldheimer built a wood chip power plant for wood from the forests of the region. With a large heat accumulator. Autumn: “In winter it supplies additional district heating when the biogas plant is not sufficient.”
Agricultural cooperative boss Sebastian Herbst (41) runs a biogas plant with liquid manure and corn. Feldheim’s local heating network depends on it Photo: Thomas Spikermann
In order to become completely independent, Raschemann and the head of agriculture suggested the Feldheimers to set up a civil company. “The residents were immediately enthusiastic because they still had old oil and stove heating systems,” reports Mayor Petra Richter (58). Feldheim voted in favour.
The Citizen Mobile Solar System automatically tracks the sun. Many residents also have solar panels on the roof Photo: Thomas Spikermann
In 2015, the wind turbines were supplemented by a huge battery storage system – to compensate for fluctuations. The biggest problem: “We weren’t allowed to take over the electricity network from the utility E.dis,” says Ortschefin Richter, “that’s why we built our own electricity and district heating lines.” To every house.
Brandenburg
It is also enough for the two large companies in the village. The wind farm has now grown to 55 turbines and has an output of 280 megawatts. Petra Richter: “We only need two megawatts. The rest is fed into the grid.”
Joachim Schmidt (66) cycles through Feldheim. 55 wind turbines surround the village, producing 280 megawatts of electricity. Residents and companies only need two megawatts. The rest goes online Photo: Thomas Spikermann
But Feldheim is also feeling the effects of the crisis. Agricultural boss Herbst: “Diesel, fertilizer and food prices are also increasing here. But electricity and heat remain cheap. And no one can turn off the gas tap!”
