As of: February 1, 2024, 7:57 p.m
By: Andreas Höger
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The rush was enormous: on the first day, the crowdfunding for the citizens' wind farm in the Hofoldinger Forest reached the targeted goal of six million euros.
Only citizens from Otterfing, Sauerlach and Aying were authorized to sign.
Otterfing
- "I'm almost shocked at how quickly it's gone up." Martin Sterflinger, managing director of Bürgerwind Hofoldinger Forst GmbH & Co. KG, could hardly believe his eyes on Monday (January 29th) when he watched online how many citizens were ready are to support the construction of the three wind turbines along the motorway with a ten-year loan of at least 500 and a maximum of 25,000 euros.
“Insanity”: The six million target will soon be reached
The platform (gls-crowd.de) opened at 10 a.m. and the six million target was reached at 12:24 p.m.
“It’s crazy,” says Michael Falkenhahn (SPD), Otterfing’s mayor and acting chairman of the supervisory board, struggling for words, “a huge show of trust from the citizens.”
There is a wind turbine in the forest: Just like here in the Wadlhauser Gräben near Schäftlarn, three large wind turbines will also be turning in the Hofoldinger Forest from 2025.
© Andreas Höger
At three information events, the communities of Otterfing, Aying and Sauerlach, the shareholders of the GmbH, asked their citizens to participate in the wind farm.
The plan was to give them three weeks to sign;
From February 18th, crowdfunding would have been opened to everyone.
“I thought that our citizens would put in maybe three or four million euros,” explained Falkenhahn, “and then we would get the rest from outside.” The interest in the information events – including the online stream, there were 1,100 citizens – was already evident that it could be faster.
After all, the GmbH promises all “lenders” an annual interest rate of six percent on the respective deposit.
By the way: Everything from the region is also available in our regular Holzkirchen newsletter.
Millions of citizens are intended to strengthen equity: construction in the summer
In fact, all the dams broke early on Monday.
At 11 a.m., one hour after opening, commitments totaling over four million euros had already been received on the partner bank's portal, and at 11:45 a.m. the level exceeded the five million mark.
“So many reports came in that the system almost collapsed,” reports Falkenhahn.
“We were overrun,” says Sterflinger.
At exactly 12:24 p.m. the target bell rang.
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The six million euros from citizens are intended to strengthen the GmbH's equity capital.
The GLS Bank is helping with the financing with loans amounting to 20 million euros.
The GmbH estimates the total costs at 26.73 million euros.
Construction begins in the summer;
The three wind turbines are scheduled to be connected to the grid in mid-2025 and start earning electricity money through the EEG remuneration: The GmbH expects annual income of 3.225 million euros.
Citizens stand behind the project – about interest rates and the climate change
In the next few days, GmbH managing director Sterflinger will be required to sort through the loan commitments: “We will check whether non-residents have smuggled in.” The local residents’ registration offices will help with this.
It is also determined when the last loan commitment flashed before the oversubscription.
“The first-come, first-served principle applies,” emphasizes Sterflinger, “what matters is which commitment was made and when.” Should citizens of other communities drop out, Otterfinger, Sauerlacher or Ayinger will move up accordingly.
Falkenhahn and his Ayinger counterpart Peter Wagner (CSU) signed in time, also because they had already registered with the platform in advance.
“Luckily I registered beforehand,” says Wagner.
The great demand shows that citizens are behind the project.
“And if you have to look at the wind turbines, you should also feel something in your wallet,” says Aying’s mayor.
What made this investment so attractive?
The six percent interest or the willingness to help the climate change?
“The combination of both,” believes Falkenhahn.
The citizens obviously felt that this wind farm had been carefully prepared for a long time and that three municipalities from two districts, with mayors of different political stripes, were pulling together: “That is the special power of this project.”
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