The district committee has extended the contract with the Energiewende Oberland (EWO) for another five years.
Now it is important to give full throttle to the plan to use 100 percent renewable energies by 2035.
District
- “There is still a long way to go if we want to achieve our self-imposed climate targets by 2035,” says District Administrator Andrea Jochner-Weiß in the district committee.
But with the Oberland energy transition, “we have an important partner by our side”.
The support that comes from there is incredible.
The contract concluded in 2016 with the EWO expires at the end of the year and must now be extended for another five years, according to the district administrator.
You speak out clearly in favor of it.
However, she gave EWO CEO Stefan Drexlmeier a warning: “The past few years have been years of development.
Now we have to really get started with the implementation. "
EWO wants to leave no stone unturned
Drexlmeier was happy to take on the ball.
"We work results-oriented and present solutions," he reported.
That is why the contact with the individual districts and member municipalities in the Oberland is so good.
Nevertheless: "If you look at how far we have come on the way to our destination, it looks bleak," said Drexlmeier.
So far, 41 percent of the total consumption of electricity comes from renewable sources, and a meager three percent for transport.
He recalled the "miracle of the Grotenburg" at the European Cup match between Uerdingen and Dresden in March 1986. The Uerdingen had lost the first leg with 0: 2 and were 1: 3 hopelessly behind at halftime.
"But they didn't give up, turned the game around and won 7-3 in the end," said Drexlmeier.
The fact that the Uerdingen were able to bring their catch-up to a successful end because they fouled the Dresden goalkeeper so much that he had to be replaced and then never could play again, he left out, but the message still got through to the district councils: Whoever gives up , has already lost.
And that's why the EWO wants to leave no stone unturned.
With grants totaling 995,000 euros, 11.3 million euros were earned, reported the chairman of the board.
"Anyone who wants to make a difference in the energy transition will be helped by us, and competent contacts will be found," he promised.
The EWO is constantly realigning itself in terms of content.
Recently, the problem of climate adaptation has also been dealt with.
Because climate change has long been there, now it is a matter of preparing for the consequences, said Drexlmeier.
That is why an online training event for 70 fire brigades from the Oberland on the subject of heavy rain events was recently offered.
In some cases, co-financing cannot be raised
But there are still problems, he admitted in his lecture. In some cases, funding would be forfeited because the cofinancing could not be raised. In the next five years, the consulting capacities as well as technical and online offers are to be significantly expanded. "We currently have 500 heating checks open because not enough experts are available," said Drexlmeier. It is important to get the citizens on board and to increase the acceptance of renewable energies.
Together with farmers, forestry and those responsible for the bog areas, ideas are also to be developed as to how CO2 compensation could take place locally in the region. Anyone who produces a lot of CO2 in the future must pay compensation. If possible, this should remain in the region and be used, for example, for the renaturation of moorland.
These ideas were obviously well received by the district councils. "I wonder why we are only extending the contract with the EWO for five years," said Peter Erhard (CSU / Böbing). For their beneficial work “one would actually have to sign a contract for life”. Unfortunately, that doesn't work because the other districts and municipalities are only extending it by five years, replied District Administrator Jochner-Weiß with a laugh. Karl-Heinz Grehl (Greens / Weilheim) immediately used his statement again for a frontal attack on the state government made up of the CSU and Free Voters: "They don't even know where exactly how much CO2 is generated in the Free State," he said. In the Weilheim-Schongau district, they are already a lot further: “And that is thanks to the Oberland energy transition”.
No wonder that the members of the district committee then voted unanimously in favor of extending the contract with the Oberland energy transition.
