Bioenergy village

A Bioenergy Village is a village which covers a large part of its electricity and heat requirements with the use of mainly regional supply of biomass itself. There are no clear guidelines, but consistently is this definition:

• It is generated at least as much power as is needed from the village.
• At least half of the heat is provided, preferably by combined heat and power (CHP ).
• About 50 % of the facilities are owned by the heat consumers and farmers.
• The biomass is not derived from corn monocultures or genetically modified plants.

A Bioenergy Village serves, among other things, climate protection, and can strengthen the regional economy. The first bioenergy village was Jühnde at Göttingen and was established in 2006. Numerous other projects have now been implemented.

Basis of the energy supply is often a biogas plant or a biomass cogeneration plant that provide by CHP electricity and heat. Even renewable energies that do not belong to bioenergy can be used, such as photovoltaic, solar thermal and other.

• 4.1 Göttingen district
• 4.2 Martinshöhe
• 4.3 Grimburg
• 4.4 Neckargemuend (West City)

• 5.1 advantages
• 5.2 disadvantages

• 6.1 Literature
• 6.2 Notes and references
• 6.3 External links

Concept

The concept of a bio-energy village is heavily dependent on local conditions. In agricultural regions, for example, offers a biogas plant to a central system of energy supply concept. Farms can provide the needed biomass ( substrate) in the form of silage, manure, slurry and other things in sufficient quantity. In forested regions affected, a biomass cogeneration plant as a central system may be more appropriate, since biomass can be provided in the form for example of wood chips. These plants with cogeneration run continuously and thus always provide a certain amount of electricity and heat ready. However, the power requirements of a village varies greatly depending on time of day, season and other things (load profile). Since a storage of electricity on a small scale is very expensive, the electricity is fed into the electricity grid. The control performance is thus provided by the electricity network operators. For electricity from biomass is guaranteed by the Renewable Energy Sources Act ( EEG) increased remuneration for 20 years. Depending on the system design, this fee may increase by certain bonuses yet. The heat demand of a village varies even more than the current requirement. In the summer, issued through the district heating network only little heat for the heating of water, while the demand increases by heating buildings in winter to a multiple. Would the central CHP plant dimensioned accordingly, a large part of the inevitably accumulating heat in the summer would remain unused. Therefore, in general boilers are installed as eg wood chips heating, have been in operation only in winter. For the most extreme peak loads on cold winter days can also additionally a cheaper heating oil or rapeseed methyl ester boiler must be installed so that the heat consumers need not have their own heating more.

Promotions and contests

• Competitive bioenergy villages 2010: The nationwide competition "Bioenergy Villages 2010" is aimed at small communities in rural areas in Germany, meet the relevant share of their electricity and heating needs from biomass. Prizes will be awarded three particularly innovative bioenergy villages that combine the efficient use of bioenergy in an excellent manner with regional development, integrate the local population into the processes of critical and integrate the use of bioenergy active in regional marketing. This bioenergy villages to develop in 2010 a model for the development of rural regions and the regional use of biomass.
• German Solar Prize 2010
• Our village has a future
• Competition "Energy efficiency in local authorities - Good Examples 2010

Regional competitions and promotions

• Baden- Württemberg: State funding bioenergy villages
• Competition Baden -Wuerttemberg energy patterns municipality
• Competitive bioenergy villages at the start

• Competition bioefficiency Village Hesse 2010-2012

• Competition Kl! Municipal ma 2010
• Bioenergy region Wendland Elbe Valley: regional competition bioenergy villages

• Energy Olympiad 2010

Projects

The first bioenergy villages were implemented Jühnde to early 2006 or Mauenheim to end of 2006. A number of other projects have been or are in the planning stage. Some are shown below.

Jühnde

The first bioenergy village in Germany was Jühnde ( 1089 inhabitants) in the district of Göttingen. In a project of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Sustainable Development ( IZNE ), University of Göttingen, the objective to meet the entire energy needs through renewable energy sources, are successfully implemented in January 2006. In addition to covering the heat demand of the households of the place clearly generates more electricity than it consumes.

A biogas plant with 700 kWe produced about 5 million kWh of electricity, which is more than double the demand in Jühnde annually. Which runs on wood chips wood heating can 550 kWth and a peak - oil boilers provide 1.6 MWth. Overall, about 3.2 million kWh of heat per year are deducted. The biogas plant is required as a substrate 9000 m3 manure per year and 15,000 tons of biomass produced on 320 hectares. About 1,000 cubic meters of wood chips are burned annually.

It is estimated that the participating households in Jühnde save after deducting costs € 750 per year in energy costs and achieved the village with the biomass energy revenues in excess of € 680,000 per year.

Breitenbrunn

The small village (about 350 inhabitants, the district Nürnberger Land, Bavaria ) has decided the warmth of wood chips to use for heating. With great self- effort the inhabitants built the pipes and the boiler house with two wood chip boiler with 300 or 400 kW rated power. The foundation stone of the heating was on 6 August 2010, commissioning of the heating network was on 23 December 2010. A connection to the heating system was not mandatory but was largely set by the population. Thus almost every house can be supplied in the wooded area with bioenergy from the environment. An explicit cogeneration does not occur.

Effelter

The place Effelter with 280 inhabitants, is located at 600 meters altitude in the Franconian Forest nature park. For him therefore particularly strict criteria in terms of sustainable resource extraction apply. Starting point for the development of the bioenergy village was an agricultural biogas plant. With strong civic engagement a 2.4 km-long district heating network and a switchable each according to current requirements chips heating plant were built in the sequence. This infrastructure will be complemented by small private wood furnaces. Since early 2010, the majority of the systems in operation. The use of sustainably produced feedstocks is a major concern, come into the small biogas plant (two 65 kW) no corn, but mainly grass silage from the surrounding elevations, cattle manure and low-quality feed grain used. For the wood chip heating plant only wood from the district being advertised, the ash as fertilizer in the woods again.

Systems / technology

• Biogas plant with CHP to 2 each 65 kW ( grass silage, cattle manure, cereals)
• Wood-chip 500 kW
• District heating network 2.4 km
• 325 kWp photovoltaic systems
• 60 m² private solar systems for hot water
• Hydropower plant 3 kW

The sustainable energy supply concept of Effelter has been awarded by several bodies, such as with the price of bioenergy villages in 2010 by the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection or the Bavarian State Medal for services to the environment.

Free Office

The 4300 inhabitants church camp office in the Black Forest uses virtually the entire spectrum of renewable energy for self- supply of electricity and heat. Solar, wind and water mills and a biogas plant producing 14.3 million kWh of electricity per year, of which 1.5 million kWh not needed and are fed into the grid. Around 160 solar collectors are used for heating water. It is heated with wood chip and pellet heating - and biogas.

Güssing

The 3,764 inhabitants, Güssing biomass is considered to be the center of Austria. One fifth of the wood in the district of Güssing aufwuchs of 100,000 tons per year is used for heat and power generation. The 1990 adopted by the City Council of the City 100 percent out of the fossil energy supply was implemented in less than 15 years. The number of jobs created by the use of biomass is estimated to be over 1000.

Mauenheim

Mauenheim, a district of Immendingen in Tuttlingen district with around 400 inhabitants and 148 buildings, as a bioenergy village since November 1, 2006 on the network. The biogas plant, the CHP and the wood chip heating are supplemented by a photovoltaic system. For the financing and operation of the project, a citizen Beteiligungs-Gesellschaft was founded. According to calculations by the operator should be avoided by the project, the emission of about 1900 tonnes of CO2 per year.

Malstedt

The goal is to heat supply of the village with 240 inhabitants Malstedt in 68 households.

Electricity production from biogas plant is sufficient for the entire village Malstedt and more. The supply is achieved by 100 % renewable energy. ( Biogas plant with CHP and biogas peak load boiler ).

Operators are 15 farmers in agro gas & heat GmbH & Co.KG

Type of equipment, technology used, performance:

Mertingen

In Bavarian Mertingen ( 3900 inhabitants), among others, a wood chip heating ( 450 kWth ) provides the public facilities.

Oberrosphe

Oberrosphe is a district of Wetter (Hessen ) with about 800 inhabitants. In October 2008, the bioenergy village Oberrosphe eG. a heating with wood chip furnace into operation. Half of the households will be supplied with heat since long on the 7.0 km grid. In addition, solar power is generated and fed into the power grid.

Ostritz

The heat supply of the small Saxon town Ostritz with 3000 inhabitants is carried out by a biomass cogeneration plant, from which the heat is conducted through district heating systems in households. Forestry operations, sawmills and carpentry from the environment provide the raw material wood. The German Federal Environmental Foundation ( DBU) supported the development with just under twelve million euros. In addition to the biomass wind, hydro and solar power plants provide energy. The expansion of the ecological model city has created some permanent jobs.

Pfalzgrafenweiler

From the hamlet of heat eG built local heating system with biogas plant and ORC plant.

Rai -Breitenbach

In Breuberg district Rai -Breitenbach ( about 900 inhabitants) in the Odenwald provides a user - cooperative since August 2008 about a local heating network customers in the village with biogenic heat generated. The heat concept includes a biomass boiler plant with wood chips in combination with a wood gasification CHP plant. The peak load is to be covered by an oil fired boiler with vegetable oil.

Renquishausen

In Renquishausen (about 750 inhabitants, the district Tuttlingen, Baden- Württemberg ) are supplied from the summer of 2009, more than 75 % of the population with heat from bioenergy, Electricity production from municipal bioenergy and other renewable energies is higher than the power consumption of connected households. An agricultural biogas plant supplies electricity and supplied by a district heating network since the summer of 2009, around 120 houses with heat. Operator of the heating network is the local heat Renquishausen GmbH. Shareholders are the community and a cooperative. There are also numerous private wood heaters, a solar sludge drying and photovoltaic systems. Since 1996, private owners operate four wind turbines.

Sauerlach

About a 19 -kilometer-long heating network covers a municipal wood chip heating plant about 60 % of the heat demand in the Bavarian village of Sauerlach ( January 2007, 6767 inhabitants). In addition to almost all public buildings about 300 private clients are connected to the heating network. The electricity generated by the cogeneration plant uses ORC technology (Organic Rankine Cycle ) power generation allows even at relatively low process temperatures.

Siebeneich

Supported by the bioenergy region Hohenlohe -Odenwald -Tauber (HOT ), the municipality Siebeneich (Bretz field) in the district of Hohenlohe the first bioenergy village in the north of Baden- Württemberg. Photovoltaic systems, alternative heating systems on the basis of Miskantuspflanzen, wood chip, a biogas plant and a district heating network form the base. In 2011 Siebeneich was officially appointed bioenergy village.

Schlöben

The Bioenergy Village Schlöben (350 inhabitants) in the Thuringian Saale- wood country - committee aims to realize the heat and electricity produced from renewable energy sources ( biomass). For this, a biogas plant will be supplemented by a CHP unit, a wood chip heating plant and a district heating network. Operator is the bioenergy village Schlöben eG was founded in 2009.

Wolpertshausen

Wolpertshausen in Schwäbisch Hall ( Baden- Württemberg) with 1800 inhabitants is supplied to 50 percent from renewable sources (2006). The Ecological Residential Wolpertshausen is completely local heating or a biogas community plant supplies ( start: 1996).

Planned projects

Göttingen district

Following the example of Germany's first bioenergy village Jühnde are in the Göttingen area more bioenergy villages arise. Since mid-2007, feasibility studies are developed for seven villages in the district of Göttingen. The projects bioenergy village Reiffenhausen and bioenergy village Wollbrandshausen - Krebeck are in June and August 2009 in the implementation.

Martinshöhe

The local church Martin height ( about 1700 inhabitants) in the municipality Bruchmühlbach -Miesau, located in the western Palatinate, plans to become bioenergy village. The feasibility study presented in February dismissed the economics of the project in accordance with a connection of 70 % of all buildings. The plan is to build a biogas plant (250 kW) to cover the base load and the construction of a Holzhackschnitzelfeuerungsanlage with peak load boiler. The total heat requirement is 5 MW.

Grimburg

The local church Grimburg is the first bioenergy village in Rhineland- Palatinate. With the help of the investor Pfalzwerke is given as part of the 4 million euro project, the 180 households in Grimburg the opportunity to cover their heat supply via a district heating network, which is supplied by the cogeneration plant of a biogas plant. The concept uses only renewable resources.

Neckargemuend (West City)

In Neckargemünd West district of city planning through the establishment of a heating plant based on wood chips. The BEST project - Bioenergy district Neckargemuend West city shall be organized as a cooperative and provide households with large consumers such as local heating.

Assessment

→ See also: Article " bio " section pros and cons of bioenergy.

In addition to the advantages and disadvantages of bioenergy bioenergy villages have specific advantages and disadvantages:

Benefits

• Greater independence from conventional utilities and rising prices for electricity, natural gas, petroleum, etc. The expenditure on energy remain to a large extent in the region and do not flow from abroad.
• Financial revenue: Due to the inherent operation of facilities, the municipality or a local municipal utility can generate revenue and profits. In the case of civil systems, the residents benefit directly in facilities that are operated by commercial investors, the community can expect business taxes.
• Local Employment: installation, maintenance and operation of renewable energy plants often mean contracts for local businesses such as Craftsmen, service technician or raw material suppliers.
• Image profit: Renewable energy for a modern, advanced energy supply. Competitions such as the " Solarbundesliga " show the innovativeness of local authorities.
• Many communities use their commitment to renewable energy as a tourism magnet. The Bioenergy Village Jühnde in Lower Saxony or the Energy Landscape Morbach in Rhineland -Palatinate, for example, attract a lot of people who want to get an idea of how a community can make to energy self-sufficient.
• New perspectives for the region: Since renewable energy projects are often implemented in rural areas, means the resulting economic dynamics also know that young people increasingly see opportunities locally and the rural exodus decreases.
• Planning competence: Particularly in the case -mounted photovoltaic plants have communities on the central planning authority. You determine the scope of the implementation.

Disadvantages

• There are high initial investments necessary to pay off after several years.
• The concept works only when a significant proportion of the population participates and can be connected to the district heating network.
• Much of the bioenergy technologies is only at high government support economically viable ( for example, by the Renewable Energy Sources Act ).

Appendix