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Hafner" district in Constance to become climate-neutral and energy-efficient

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Constance receives project funding for "Hafner KliEn" from the Federal Government's 7th Energy Research Programme

The city of Constance strives for sustainable urban development. In the area of energy policy decisions and climate protection, this should include consideration of the triad of sufficiency, efficiency and substitution. This also and above all applies to the new Hafner district, which, in addition to 15 hectares of commercial land, also includes around 45 hectares of residential land.
Here, it is the city's declared goal to develop a climate-neutral neighbourhood in the overall balance. Early on in the process, relevant foundations were laid at the planning level and in the processes in order to think about this goal in an integrated way with all relevant subject areas and to develop corresponding concepts.

The research project "Hafner KliEn" aims to develop transferable concepts and practical solutions. The project title "KliEn" is composed of the goal "Hafner, climate-neutral and energy-efficient". For the first time in Germany, the feasibility of achieving these goals is being demonstrated in a neighbourhood of this size. An integral conceptual approach is to be developed that considers the entire life cycle of buildings, infrastructure and operating phase in a total system context. With a detailed project description, the City of Constance - supported by the Steinbeis Innovation Centre from Stuttgart - together with other partners from science and practice applied in January 2020 for funding within the framework of the 7th Energy Research Programme of the German Federal Government. At the end of November, the funding for the entire research network was approved for a total of two million euros. "We are very pleased about the recognition for the most sustainable and largest neighbourhood in Constance. The funding of 2 million enables us to tackle this ambitious goal with numerous partners. We are creating affordable housing for about 6,000 people in ecologically and energetically exemplary construction. The goal of climate neutrality is forward-looking. Especially against the backdrop of urban change, this project is of utmost importance for the housing action programme," says Karl Langensteiner-Schönborn, Mayor of the City of Hamburg, about the commitment.

In addition to the city administration, the following partners are involved in the project: The Steinbeis Innovation Centre, Stadtwerke Konstanz, HTWG and the University of Konstanz. The project partners are also pleased about the funding commitment. Dr. Norbert Reuter, Managing Director of Stadtwerke Konstanz, is one of them: "The funding enables us to develop a largely climate-neutral neighbourhood for the largest settlement expansion area in the city of Konstanz. We are very pleased to be able to help shape this path for the important areas of energy and heat supply as well as mobility." Further information on the Hafner and the "Hafner KliEn" research project at www.neuer-stadtteil.de

Source: PM of the City of Constance from 1.12.2020


Keywords: CO2-neutral, Funding, Communities, News Blog Baden-Württemberg, Quarters

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Dealing with old photovoltaic modules - New leaflet from the German Solar Industry Association
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Dealing with old photovoltaic modules - New leaflet from the German Solar Industry Association

  • Photovoltaic modules can generate climate-friendly electricity for decades
  • Old modules must be disposed of properly 
  • New BSW information paper provides information on dispensing points and important safety instructions

One advantage of photovoltaics is that they can supply electricity for decades if installed and components are selected correctly. If photovoltaic modules are no longer used to generate solar power due to damage or age, they must be disposed of properly in accordance with the German Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG). After all, they contain valuable raw materials.

"The recycling of solar modules is technically feasible today. Specialised waste management companies can recycle old modules in such a way that the raw materials they contain can be fed almost completely into a production process as secondary raw materials," says Carsten Körnig, Managing Director of the German Solar Industry Association (BSW). "It is therefore important that discarded modules are channelled into the materials cycle. Owners of photovoltaic systems, installers and operators of collection centres can find out where old modules can be handed in and what needs to be considered in our new information sheet."

For example, modules from private households can be disposed of free of charge at designated collection points such as recycling centres or the take-back centres of manufacturers and distributors. "As an electrical voltage is generated when light falls on the active cell layer in photovoltaic modules, it is important to handle dismantled modules for disposal with care," says Körnig. For example, module cables should be secured, modules should be carefully stacked and, if necessary, provided with edge protection. "The solar-active side of the module should always face downwards when stacking, and open contacts and damaged backsheets should be insulated before removal."

More than 1.7 million photovoltaic systems are in operation in Germany. Under normal conditions, a photovoltaic module can reliably supply climate-friendly electricity for at least 25 years, and usually much longer. The industry association therefore does not expect to see a large number of old modules for a good ten years.

The free information paper "Safe handling of old PV modules" is available at
www.solarwirtschaft.de/fileadmin/user_upload/bsw_hinweispap_altmodule.pdf



Keywords:
100% EEs, DE-News, Renewable, Climate protection, Sustainable management, New books and studies, PV, Recycling, Resource efficiency, Environmental policy

Foresters declare climate emergency for forest
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Foresters declare climate emergency for forest

Foresters, forest owners and nature lovers are very concerned about what has been happening in our forests since the beginning of 2018: Initially snow breakage and winter storms and the subsequent drought and bark beetle infestation have led to dramatic tree dieback. And there is no end in sight! The forest has been under extreme climate stress for almost two years and foresters are in permanent disaster mode. Well over 100 million old trees have already died. In addition, several million young plants have dried up. These have been planted in recent years to make the forest even more diverse and stable. But natural regeneration is also affected. The Association of German Foresters is calling for all efforts at federal and state level to be stepped up and pooled immediately. The BDF proposes the "Carlowitz Plan" as a strategic package of measures. Its measures are intended to preserve the forest in all its functions and as an important system-relevant basis of life and heritage for us humans!

In addition to the spruce tree species, which has so far mainly suffered from the drought, the beech, the most important deciduous tree species and "mother of the forest" in our forests, is now apparently also showing clear and region-wide signs of dying out. "This is particularly dramatic! In recent decades, we foresters have mainly relied on copper beech, our natural main tree species, for the necessary forest reorganisation towards climate-stable forests," says BDF Federal Chairman Ulrich Dohle. In addition, two important tree species have already been virtually lost in many forests due to fungal diseases of elm and ash. A similar trend is emerging for the maple tree species. With corresponding negative consequences for biodiversity and forestry options for the future.

"While we foresters have been busy for almost two years repairing the damage that has occurred so far - and there is no end in sight - the important future task of developing the forests in a climate-stable way is often falling by the wayside. There are simply too few of us to keep on top of the situation," says Dohle, drawing attention to the massive reduction in forestry staff over the past twenty years, during which around 50% of forestry employees have been cut.

A few days ago, Federal Forest Minister Julia Klöckner took up the results of the ETH Zurich study and announced a massive reforestation programme. The BDF is calling for this announcement to be translated into concrete government action in the near future. To this end, the necessary financial and human resources must be made available.

"The common good and services of general interest, especially in public forests, must once again take centre stage," says Dohle, specifying the demands. "The strong commercial orientation of the past two decades was a political mistake that must now be corrected as quickly as possible!" Bavaria has already initiated this paradigm shift for its state forest. Other federal states must now follow suit!

Forests are not only victims of climate change, they are also urgently needed to mitigate climate change. As a living reservoir of solar energy, it is a significant CO2 sink.

The handling of the forest dieback in the 1980s showed that responsible and targeted environmental policy can help to avert predicted damage. Although the causes and effects in the current climate debate are much more complex, we can certainly learn from the past.

The Association of German Foresters is therefore calling for the convening of a National Forest Summit at this time of climate emergency for the forest! The BDF is currently developing the "Carlowitz Plan" as the basis for a social discourse on the forest by politicians, experts and groups interested in the forest. The plan bears the name of Hans Carl von Carlowitz (1713), who first coined the term sustainability in forestry. Since then, sustainability has been the defining characteristic of all forestry activities!

Ulrich Dohle summarises it as follows: "These are no longer individual unusual weather events. This is climate change. I have therefore declared a climate emergency for forests today. Every effort must be made to preserve our forests as the formative green third of our country and a systemically relevant basis of life! This is the only way we can fulfil the principle of sustainability!"

Source: Press release from the BDF - Association of German Foresters dated 15 July 2019



Keywords:
Stakeholders, DE-News, Wood construction, NaWaRohs, Environmental policy, Ecology

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