The farming village of Freiamt in Germany now produces 17% more renewable energy than they require and have become model for communities around the world. Some residents not only receive their power for free, but make money on the energy they create.
From solar panels, wind turbines, turning manure into biofuel and water turbines, the village generated 14.3 million kilowatt hours of electricity last year, or 2.1 million more than it used.
After lengthy discussions with town residents during the late 1990’s, a steering group for the project began soliciting funds in mid-2001, and it took only eight weeks to round up the $2.3 million deposit needed for two 400-foot-tall windmills – all of the money coming from local sources.
The turbines began operation in late 2001 and during the next year, they generated enough electricity for around 1,600 German homes thanks to Germany’s gross feed in tariff program which require a premium payment over and above the market rate for the generation of electricity to renewable power system owners, within just two years, investors were receiving 10 percent annual return.
Freiamt has now has four large wind turbines, approximately 250 rooftop solar systems for the generation of heat and electricity, a few biogas digesters and some small scale hydro generators.
It all begs the question – if the Germans can do it – why can’t we do the same in Australia given our incredible renewable energy resources?
