Video portrait (2019) of the Factor X settlement; BMU Climate Protection Prize
Published
The city of Eschweiler (North Rhine-Westphalia) has been awarded the climate protection prize "Klimaaktive Kommune 2019″ by the Federal Environment Ministry in category 1: "Resource and energy efficiency in the municipality". The city of Eschweiler is committed to more resource and climate protection with its Factor X construction areas.
Film about the Faktor X housing estate in Eschweiler:
(6:25 min.) published on Nov 5, 2019
The prize is awarded by the Federal Environment Ministry (BMU) as part of the National Climate Initiative (NKI), which is implemented by the German Institute of Urban Affairs gGmbh (DIFU).
More information about the climate protection award "Climate Active Community 2019″ is available on the website of the National Climate Protection Initiative of the Federal Government : www.klimaschutz.de/stadt-eschweiler
Net public electricity generation reached a record share of 59.7 per cent in 2023. The share of the load was 57.1 per cent. This is the result of an analysis presented today by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE. New records were set for wind and solar power in 2023. In contrast, generation from lignite (-27 per cent) and hard coal (-35 per cent) fell sharply. Photovoltaics stood out in the expansion of generation capacity: at around 14 gigawatts, the expansion was in double digits for the first time and significantly exceeded the German government's statutory climate protection target. Source of the data is the platform energy-charts.info
Photovoltaic systems generated approx. 59.9 TWh in 2023, of which 53.5 TWh was fed into the public grid and 6.4 TWh was used for self-consumption. At around 9 TWh, June 2023 was the month with the highest solar power generation ever. The maximum solar output of 40.1 GW was reached on 7 July at 13:15, which corresponded to a 68% share of electricity generation. In 2023, the expansion of photovoltaics significantly exceeded the German government's targets: instead of the planned 9 gigawatts, 13.2 gigawatts were installed by November; according to preliminary data, this will be more than 14 gigawatts by the end of 2023. This is a sharp increase compared to 2022 (7.44 GW). This means that PV expansion in Germany has reached double digits for the first time.
The Hydropower increased from 17.5 TWh in 2022 to 20.5 TWh. The installed capacity of 4.94 GW has hardly changed compared to previous years.
The Biomass at 42.3 TWh was at the level of 2022 (42.2 TWh). The installed capacity is 9 GW.
In total, the renewable energies approx. 260 TWh in 2023, around 7.2 per cent more than in the previous year (242 TWh). The share of renewable energy generated in Germany in the load, i.e. the electricity mix that actually comes out of the socket, was 57.1 per cent compared to 50.2 per cent in 2022. In addition to net public electricity generation, total net electricity generation also includes in-house generation by industry and commerce, which is mainly generated using gas. The share of renewable energies in total net electricity generation, including the power plants of "businesses in the manufacturing, mining and quarrying sectors", is around 54.9 per cent (2022: 48.2 per cent).
The Load in the electricity grid totalled 457 TWh, around 26 TWh less than in 2022. Due to the high electricity prices and higher temperatures, electricity was probably saved significantly. The increase in self-consumption of solar power is also reducing the load. The load includes the electricity consumption and grid losses, but not the pumped-storage power consumption and the self-consumption of conventional power plants.
Sharp decline in coal-fired power
After German coal-fired power plants ramped up their production in 2022 - due to the outage of French nuclear power plants, but also due to the distortions in the electricity market caused by the war in Ukraine - their share fell significantly in 2023. As a result, generation in November 2023 was 27 per cent below the same month in the previous year due to the drop in coal-fired electricity exports, but also because of the good wind conditions.
Overall, production from Lignite for public electricity consumption fell by around 27 per cent, from 105.9 to 77.5 TWh. This is in addition to 3.7 TWh for industrial own consumption. Gross electricity generation fell to the level of 1963.
Net production from Hard coal-fired power plants for public electricity consumption was 36.1 TWh (-35 per cent) and 0.7 TWh for industrial own consumption. It was 21.4 TWh lower than in 2022. Gross electricity generation fell to the level of 1955. Natural gas for electricity generation remained slightly below the previous year's level at 45.8 TWh for public electricity supply and 29.6 for industrial own consumption. Due to the shutdown of the last three nuclear power plants in Emsland, Neckarwestheim and Isar on 15 April 2023, the Nuclear power only contributed 6.72 TWh to electricity generation, which corresponds to a share of 1.5 per cent.
Battery storage systems are developing rapidly
The expansion of fluctuating renewable energies also increases the need for grid expansion and storage capacity. Battery storage systems, which are installed on a decentralised basis to buffer the generation of wind and solar power, are particularly suitable. The private household segment is showing strong growth, as is the case with photovoltaic systems. Overall, installed battery capacity almost doubled from 4.4 GW in 2022 to 7.6 GW in 2023, while storage capacity rose from 6.5 GWh to 11.2 GWh. The capacity of German pumped storage plants is around 6 GW.
Declining exports and exchange electricity prices
After an export surplus of 27.1 TWh was achieved in electricity trading in 2022, an import surplus of 11.7 TWh was recorded in 2023. This was due in particular to the lower electricity generation costs in neighbouring European countries in the summer and the high costs of CO2-certificates. The majority of imports came from Denmark (10.7 TWh), Norway (4.6 TWh) and Sweden (2.9 TWh). Germany exported electricity to Austria (5.8 TWh) and Luxembourg (3.6 TWh).
In winter, electricity exchange prices rose again and CO2-certificates became more favourable. This already led to a balance in November and, in conjunction with high wind power generation, to export surpluses in December. In contrast to its neighbouring countries (Austria, Switzerland, France), Germany also has sufficient power plant capacity in winter to produce electricity for export.
The average volume-weighted day-ahead price Exchange electricity price fell sharply to €92.29/MWh or 9.23 cents/kWh (2022: €230.57/MWh). This puts it back at the 2021 level.
A detailed presentation of the data on electricity generation, imports/exports, prices, installed capacity, emissions and climate data can be found on the Energy Charts Server: www.energy-charts.info/downloads/Stromerzeugung_2023.pdf
This first version of the annual evaluation takes into account all electricity generation data from the Leipzig electricity exchange EEX and the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) up to and including 31 December 2023. The quarter-hourly values from the EEX were energetically corrected using the available monthly data from the Federal Statistical Office on electricity generation up to September 2023. For the remaining months, the correction factors were estimated on the basis of past monthly and annual data. The extrapolated values from October to December are subject to larger tolerances.
This is based on the data for the German Net electricity generation to the public electricity supply. It is the difference between gross electricity generation and the power plants' own consumption and is fed into the public grid. The electricity industry calculates with net figures, e.g. for electricity trading and grid utilisation, and only net electricity generation is traded on the electricity exchanges. It represents the electricity mix that actually comes out of the socket at home.
The lecture by Dr. Stefan Gärtner, IAT Gelsenkirchen (minutes 17 to 56): Production in the city: opportunities, risks and your integration into urban value creation is far-sighted.
It shows examples of how production can be brought back into the city and how mixed use can succeed.
How can Bonn become climate neutral by 2035? This is the question that the participatory project "Bonn4Future - We for the Climate!" would like to discuss together with Bonn citizens over the next two years. Since mid-2019, the climate emergency has been in effect in Bonn; in November 2019, the Council decided that Bonn should become climate neutral by 2035. The city and the non-profit association Bonn im Wandel have now signed a cooperation agreement and thus launched "Bonn4Future".
Very important in "Bonn4Future" is a new culture of mutual listening and good cooperation. All those involved are looking for solutions on how climate neutrality can succeed for our city. Everyone takes responsibility and makes their contribution.
"In order to achieve climate neutrality in Bonn by 2035, it is not only a question of setting the right course at international and national level, but also of all of us here on site," says Mayor Katia Dörner. "On politics, administration, companies and the people of Bonn with their ideas and decisions. We want to enter into dialogue with them in the participatory process 'Bonn4Future', because only in this way can this great transformation process for Bonn succeed. I am very much looking forward to working with Bonn in transition and our committed urban society!"
Project modules: Developing and implementing measures
At Climate Day - which will be scheduled and planned depending on the pandemic situation - citizens are invited to develop a joint climate vision and action plan for a climate-neutral Bonn. The ideas and findings from this Climate Day will flow into a total of four planned Climate Forums - The first is to take place in the first half of 2021. There, 100 randomly selected citizens will work together with experts from business, science, associations, culture, administration and politics to develop strategies and concrete proposals for the path to climate neutrality in 2035.
Results and ideas from the forums are reflected in the administration and in politics. They serve as orientation and support for the further development of the already existing catalogues of climate protection measures.
An Project Advisory Board and an accompanying scientific evaluation ensure a high quality of the participation process.
"Climate change is on people's minds in Bonn, we notice that every day in our work," says Dr. Gesa Maschkowski, board member of the Bonn in Transition association. "Many people want to do something and want effective measures. Now we bring them together. The citizens, people from business, science, culture and the social sector as well as politicians from all parties. Because we have to plan and act now if Bonn is to be climate neutral by 2035 at the latest."
The broadest possible participation should produce constructive ideas and results over the next two years. To kick off the process, citizens can already express their views today at the urban portalwww.bonn-macht-mit.de inform about the process and contribute their ideas on how to make the process work well.
Reaching the goal together
"Bonn4Future - Wir fürs Klima!" already received a lot of support from more than 50 Bonn initiatives before the official start of the project. However, it is important to the creators to bring people from all areas of the citizenry on board. The process is to be supported by all social groups.
An accompanying Communication and education concept is dedicated to building up a communication network. In this way, multipliers are won over and care is taken to ensure that "Bonn4Future" remains a topic of conversation and that many people are motivated to participate.
An important communication tool is also the city-wide, interactive Sustainability platform. It will make visible initiatives, activities and dates on the topic of climate-neutral city, commitment to sustainability and citizen participation in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Background
The cooperation agreement that has now been concluded was preceded by a citizens' application for participation in achieving the goal of climate neutrality. Bonn in Transition and the Climate Watch Bonn introduced this at the beginning of the year. In the meantime, the participation concept is supported by about 50 initiatives, companies and organisations. The citizens' committee agreed to it. Bonn im Wandel then developed a concept for the multi-stage procedure with the support of experts for citizen participation and further developed it in cooperation with the city administration.
With a resolution in September 2020, the Council of the City of Bonn finally commissioned the administration to conclude a cooperation agreement with Bonn im Wandel for the coordination and implementation of the two-year process. Funds of up to 719,000 euros will be made available for this until the end of 2022. The project will be implemented in the "Bonn4Future" project office. Here, four experienced experts for communication and participation work on 2.4 positions, supported by the Bonn in Change core team. On the part of the city administration the project is coordinated and accompanied by a half position. There is also a close connection to the citizen participation portal "Bonn macht mit". The participation portal bundles all information on participation offerings of the city of Bonn and provides opportunities for direct participation.
Bonn im Wandel sees itself as an ideas and project laboratory for a sustainable city. The association brings a large network as well as nine years of experience in the initiation and organization of civil society projects and change processes into the process.
In 2015, a historic double success was achieved for sustainability and climate policy. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on climate protection define an ambitious global target system. The group of the twenty most important industrialised and emerging countries (G20) should now resolutely press ahead with the implementation of both agreements and perceive the Great Transformation towards sustainability as a unique modernisation project that offers considerable economic development opportunities. For example, the complete decarbonisation of the global economy needed to avoid the greatest climate risks can only be implemented with a profound transformation of energy systems and other emissions-intensive infrastructures. The transformation inspires innovation and directs investments towards sustainability and climate protection, including in the sustainable infrastructures to be built and expanded. At the same time, the transformation can be used to fight inequality, i.e. to advance inclusion within societies as well as globally, and thus become a justice project.
The main recommendations of the report can be found here. Download the report. Order the print version
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