It is the first of its kind in the district: committed citizens have set up an energy cooperative in Maisach.
You want to take the energy transition into your own hands
Maisach – In this way you want to achieve the broadest possible acceptance for the expansion of renewable energies among the population.
A wind turbine, five hydroelectric power plants, two biogas plants and three large - some still in the process of being built - open-space photovoltaic plants as well as numerous solar cells on roofs: all of this already exists in the municipality of Maisach.
However, this is far from enough for the regional energy transition.
participation
"We can only achieve the climate goals with large systems," says Thomas Köck, Chairman of the Board of the new "Maisacher Land" citizens' energy cooperative.
For the construction of large plants, however, you need the acceptance of the population - and this can be achieved better if the citizens can participate, i.e. have something from the plants.
Mayor Hans Seidl had the idea of founding an energy cooperative.
"We had a flood of inquiries from investors, there is a gold rush atmosphere," he reports.
At some point it became clear to him that if you wanted to get something into the hands of the citizens, it was the last chance.
“The energy transition can only take place regionally.
The capital and, to a certain extent, the income must also remain in the region.”
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Management and Supervisory Board of "Maisacher Land" (from left): Willi Greulich, Gottfried Obermair, Johann Buchfelner, Michael Schamberger, Erich Holter, Henning Stegie, Roger Scharf, Thomas Köck, Alexandra Blumrich-Hochländer, Gunter May and Franz-Josef Wetzel.
The cooperative was brought into being by 13 founding members.
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Seidl obtained information from the citizens' energy cooperative Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, which has been around for ten years and which now even finances entire wind turbines on its own.
Then he went in search of suitable Maisachers who could set up such a project.
Twelve founding members
"I immediately thought the idea was great," says Thomas Köck.
Gernlindner (50) has a consulting and engineering company in the field of energy and network management.
Together with twelve other founding members - all experts in their fields - he then brought the citizens' energy cooperative into being.
And within just under four months, as Seidl emphasizes.
“They pushed it forward with great zeal.
I take my hat off to that.” They are community citizens from all districts and of all ages, as Köck explains.
"The youngest is around 30, the oldest 85."
Köck and his colleagues are currently looking forward to entry in the cooperative register, which is imminent.
And then you can really get started - with a few thousand euros in seed capital, know-how and, above all, a lot of commitment.
"We're all doing it on a voluntary basis," says the CEO.
(
By the way: everything from the region is now also available in our regular
FFB newsletter.)
The first project
The first specific project is the construction of a PV system on the gymnasium of the Maisach primary school.
With an output of around 100 kilowatt peak (KWP), this can supply 30 average households with electricity per year, explains Köck.
The municipality has already given its approval.
Provided the system can be financed by the membership shares, it should be ready in the summer holidays.
In addition, the cooperative is in talks to participate in a large open-space PV system near Germerswang.
Their electricity could be used to supply around 3,600 households every year.
In addition, there are concrete talks with investors who want to build wind turbines in the community.
In the long term, the cooperative would also like to set up a heat supply, as Köck explains.
Now, however, as many Maisachers as possible have to be convinced of the idea.
"We're hoping for a lot of members.
1000 would definitely be achievable,” says Köck.
In any case, there are already a lot of inquiries.
information events
The citizens' energy cooperative is planning two information events.
They will be at the Überacker sports center on May 9th and at the Gernlinden community center on May 11th.
Start is at 7 p.m. each day.
Who can join the cooperative?
The aim of the "Maisacher Land" citizens' energy cooperative is to develop, produce and, in the long term, distribute climate-neutral energy in the municipality of Maisach.
According to CEO Thomas Köck, the cooperative is particularly suitable as an organizational form for the latter.
Because they are allowed to supply their members with locally generated electricity.
At present, only citizens of the municipality of Maisach can become members.
However, it is planned to open the cooperative to residents from the neighboring communities, explains Köck.
Legal entities, i.e. associations and companies, can also join the cooperative.
You can buy a share for 200 euros.
"It is also possible for students or pupils to participate," explains Mayor Hans Seidl.
He himself is also involved, but only as a private person.
Currently, you can purchase a maximum of 50 shares, i.e. invest 10,000 euros.
Each member has one vote regardless of the number of shares purchased.
More information on www.
buergerenergie-maisacherland.de.
You can find more current news from the district of Fürstenfeldbruck at Merkur.de/Fürstenfeldbruck.
