PV systems on the roofs of Landsberg's old town?

Created: 12/21/2021, 5:30 PM

From: Susanne Greiner

Landsberg has already won the title for the most hours of sunshine per year.

PV systems for on-site energy supply on the roofs would be an option, but are forbidden because of the ensemble protection.

© ks

Landsberg - More renewable energy for Landsberg: This is what the municipal utilities are committed to. A study should show possibilities for this. For example also for solar energy - which has a hard time in the old town: “Systems for the use of solar and environmental energy are not permitted in the area of ​​the ensemble-protected old town”, says the statute “on special requirements for structural systems in the old town area”. In Erpfting, on the other hand, even under ensemble protection, PV systems are installed on non-transparent roof surfaces. Would that also be possible for the old town?

PV systems on the roofs of the old town would have "significant effects on the historic cityscape," says Mayor Doris Baumgartl, explaining the existing ban. But adds: "In principle, intensive involvement of the State Office for Monument Protection would be necessary in each individual case."

The Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments expressly supports the use of renewable energies in general, "if it is compatible with the preservation of monuments," replies State Office employee Juliane Grimm. Reasons that speak against a PV system on a monument are, for example, if its "roof surface, which is visible from the public space and with a characteristic roof covering that represents the regional building culture", is destroyed. Of course, even if the modules are too heavy for the roof or if the area has to be left free for use by the fire brigade. In individual cases, however, the state office "endeavors to find amicable solutions (...) for photovoltaic or solar systems" - such as in Erpfting. There are now alternatives to the massive PV modules, for example flat,matt or red-colored modules and solar tiles that are judged to be less disruptive to the cityscape.

The preservation and use of monuments alone is climate-friendly, according to Grimm.

It reduces greenhouse emissions and saves energy - as the 'gray energy' it contains, i.e. the energy that would cost to manufacture, transport or even dispose of the material, remains stored to a certain extent.

And also upgrading windows, insulation measures, renewal of heating systems - of course, all of them in accordance with listed buildings - would contribute to climate protection.

Example Weilheim

According to Münchner Merkur, three applications for PV systems on monuments have been approved in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen district within the last ten years. There are no such systems in other Upper Bavarian districts. However, the neighboring district of Weilheim-Schongau is currently dealing with a 'precedent': the local city council has agreed that a PV system may be built on the Echter fashion store in the "Upper City", which is under ensemble protection, if the monument protection allows it . The Lower Monument Protection Office, which ultimately has to weigh up and assess the interests of climate protection versus monument preservation, is currently agreeing with the client "whether a monument-compatible installation of the photovoltaic system is possible", informs the deputy press spokesman for the local district administration, Klaus Mergel.A final judgment has not yet been made.

Could that be a signal for Landsberg? According to the State Monuments Office, 558 individual monuments and two ensembles (the old town and Erpfting) are protected in the urban area. "PV systems would be nice, but unfortunately they are not possible within the city", regrets Thomas Schneider, head of energy generation and heat supply at the municipal utilities. However, additional storage solutions are also important, for example large-scale heat storage facilities outside of the old town - or storage facilities on-site at the customer's premises in order to prevent heat loss due to long pipes. You certainly have to "talk to each other" because these heating systems are of course visible. "But a lot of chimneys also disappear."

The municipal utilities have recently started a study to examine new possibilities for renewable energies. Which would that be? Stadtwerke employee Schneider has several ideas for this. For example, the island pool could be heated by a heat pump. It has been since the new building in the 1970s until 1993. "But that was switched because the electricity did not come from renewable energies." A possible heat pump could heat the Inselbad with energy from the Lech water instead of groundwater.

As early as 2009, the idea of ​​generating energy using geothermal energy was also suggested.

"But at that time the possible amount of energy would have been too large for the district heating network," regrets Schneider.

For this reason, among other things, one of the goals of the Stadtwerke is to create a coherent district heating network from the three existing networks and to enlarge the network as a whole - of course, in order to get more customers.

However, a borehole necessary for district heating is around 2,800 meters deep in order to reach the water that is around 85 degrees Celsius.

And of course not exactly a bargain.