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Ernest Callenbach: The Hollowing Out of the American Empire
Published

Ernest Callenbach: The Hollowing Out of the American Empire

The current developments through the 2016 US elections reminded me of a serious but overall visionary lecture by Ernest Callenbach in Freiburg in 2005, which is still available on YouTube. His talk is more relevant than ever. 11 years later, one can say he was right on many points... But he does not lose sight of a positive, desirable, more sustainable world.

Back in 2005, Ernest Callenbach described how America has passed the peak of its world power, what forces have weakened it, and what would be needed to build a more sustainable world.

On Youtube his novel "Ökotopia" is available as an audio book (9 parts):
Part 1: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwmd96jvuqQ



Keywords:
DE-News, Movies, Movies 11 to 45 Min, Social / Culture, Transition Town, Environmental policy

Published

1.6 million euros for private eco-investments in Schleswig-Holstein

State government of Schleswig-Holstein launches climate protection support programme for citizens

Environment Minister Jan Philipp Albrecht: "Climate protection starts within our own four walls. Let's be the regenerative engine of our time together!"

KIEL: Environment Minister Jan Philipp Albrecht today presented the state's new funding programme for private investment in climate protection. It starts on Tuesday, 9 June, and includes a bundle of support measures.

"Climate protection starts within your own four walls. With the new funding programme, we are supporting citizens in making sustainable investments in the future. In this way, we can tackle climate change and develop society in a positive way. Let's be the regenerative engine of our time together!" said Albrecht. Every single investment in climate protection is important because it helps to achieve climate protection targets and conserve natural resources. "But not every investment can be afforded financially by private households. That's why we support all those who contribute to climate protection on a small scale, which helps us on a large scale. Because we can only tackle climate change together," said the Minister.

The purchase of cargo bicycles, e-charging stations, electricity storage systems, photovoltaic balcony systems, solar thermal systems, non-fossil heating systems and rainwater cisterns is subsidised. The installation of a district heating connection and a green roof are also subsidised.


The state government is providing 1.6 million euros over three years for this purpose. The amount of funding varies depending on the object and can be up to 50 per cent - in individual cases even 75 per cent - of the eligible costs. A cargo bike, for example, is subsidised with a maximum of 400 euros. An electricity storage unit can be subsidised with 800 euros and an additional 200 euros for installation and connection costs.

Private individuals who have their primary residence in Schleswig-Holstein are eligible to apply. No economic activity may be carried out in connection with the object of this grant. Only one application per person is possible for the same measure. The same measure cannot be subsidised more than once.

All details on the funding programme and the online applications can be found at
www.schleswig-holstein.de/klimaschutz

Source: PM of the Ministry for Energy Transition, Agriculture, Environment, Nature and Digitalisation from 4 June 2020



Keywords:
Renewable, Funding, Climate protection, News Blog Schleswig-Holstein, Quarters, Settlements, Transition Town, Environmental policy

First power-to-gas plant in a residential complex
Published

First power-to-gas plant in a residential complex

Project of the Stadtwerke and the Wohnbaugruppe Augsburg

Augsburg, 22.02.19: Together with partner company EXYTRON, Stadtwerke Augsburg (swa) has installed and commissioned the world's first decentralised power-to-gas plant in an existing residential complex. This enables a challenge of the energy transition to be mastered: surplus, regeneratively generated electricity is converted into synthetic natural gas and can thus be stored on site. Combustion then takes place in a commercially available combined heat and power plant and condensing boilers. In this way, over 180 residents in 70 apartments in the residential complex of the Augsburg housing group, which has existed since 1974, are supplied with climate-friendly electricity and heat.


"I am delighted that this pioneering project is being implemented as a cooperation between two municipal companies," explained Augsburg's Lord Mayor Dr. Kurt Gribl at the commissioning ceremony. "This innovative smart energy technology is an enormous gain for climate protection and air pollution control in Augsburg," said Stadtwerke Managing Director Alfred Müllner. "It reduces emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxide and particulate matter by up to 100 percent." And the plant enables "the energy turnaround for everyone," says Müllner, including tenants in rental apartments.

A photovoltaic system was installed on the roof of a residential block with almost 5,400 square metres of living space belonging to the housing group in Augsburg's Marconistraße, which was initially refurbished (in accordance with KfW 100). The electricity is preferably consumed directly by the tenants or used to generate hydrogen in an electrolysis plant. This is immediately converted with the carbon dioxide from the subsequent combustion into synthetic, regenerative natural gas and can be easily stored. If required, a combined heat and power plant and condensing boilers generate heat and electricity for the tenants from the natural gas obtained in this way.

A closed circuit

"The system is a closed cycle," explains Stadtwerke project manager Karl-Heinz Viets. "The waste heat from electrolysis and methanation is also used as heat for the house, and the CO2 released from combustion in the combined heat and power plant and the condensing boilers is captured and constantly reused as a recyclable material for the production of synthetic natural gas from hydrogen. In addition, the combustion of renewable natural gas produces no nitrogen oxide and no fine dust."

Utilization rate of around 90 percent

"The special feature: The electricity from the photovoltaic system but also excess electricity from the power grid, can thus be stored at short notice and seasonally with this new type of power-to-gas system," explains Klaus Schirmer, Sales Manager of the executing EXYTRON GmbH. "And because any heat generated during the process can be used in the building, this results in a previously unattainable degree of utilization of around 90 percent."

This highly efficient circuit, developed by the Rostock-based company EXYTRON, can significantly reduce the CO2 footprint of the old, renovated building block to the comparable level of a Passive House Plus standard that has not yet been achieved in the field of existing buildings. This means that the climate protection standard of the German government, which is only planned for the year 2050, can already be implemented today for older existing buildings in a socially acceptable manner.

The tenants save

"The advantage is that the system can be installed in existing buildings without great effort. As a municipal company, we see ourselves in a pioneering role in helping to shape this innovative project. And the best thing is: the tenants still save in the process," says Dr. Mark Dominik Hoppe. The Managing Director of Wohnbaugruppe Augsburg also emphasises: "If the self-sufficiency cycle is interrupted, electricity and gas connections ensure that energy and heat are still available for the residents.

The pilot project, which swa is carrying out together with the housing group in cooperation with EXYTRON GmbH, was initiated and accompanied by the project development company "energy forever" (Dr. Johannes Strasser, Gundelfingen). Work on the plant started in spring 2018 and was commissioned in mid-February 2019.

Source: PM of the Stadtwerke Augsburg

Links
www.sw-augsburg.de/power-to-gas
Innovation Award of the German Gas Industry:
www.sw-augsburg.de/...innovationspreis-fuer-das-power-to-gas-projekt-der-swa
https://exytron.online/klimafreundliches-wohnen-in-augsburg
www.powertogas.info/...exytron-klimafreundliches-wohnen-augsburg



Keywords:
Stock, DE-News, Energy storage, Research, Climate protection, News Blog Bavaria, PV, Power-to-Gas, Quarters, Settlements, Contests & Prizes, Housing, eMobility, Ecology

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