Germany Sets Bar High for Renewable Energy

Photo courtesy of http://now.msn.com/germany-sets-yet-another-solar-power-world-record

Thesouthwestern German state of Baden-Württemberg raised the bar for renewableenergy on May 13, 2013 with the completion of the largest locally owned solararray.

Similarly,a developer of solar panels has also announced that four community-ownedprojects were completed by the end of April in the southeast state of Bavariain order to be eligible for that month's feed-in tariffs.

“Thecitizen-owned wind farm is capable of generating 40 million kWh annually fromthe 19 MW project and has become a beacon for community ownership in Bavaria” (BWE,Deutsche Windindustrie).

Theaverage size is just over two megawatts and one of the solar arrays went upacross two hectares of a former concrete production plant.  While these solar panels are providingrenewable energy to the community, because they are community-owned the localcommunity also benefits from a land lease for the project.

Sharesin the projects were sold starting at 500 euros (645 U.S. dollars) to citizens innearby communities, making involvement in the project for renewable energyaccessible to these communities. These solar projects demonstrate how citizeninvolvement in photovoltaics (generating electrical power through solarradiation, otherwise known as solar energy) is not only limited to homeowners. 

Coverage thanks to Craig Morris,Renewables International and BWE, Deutsche Windindustrie.

http://www.renewablesinternational.net/more-community-solar/150/510/62690/

http://www.wind-energy-market.com/de/startseite/nachrichten/detail/bp/153/article/bayerns-groesster-buergerwindpark-offiziell-eroeffnet/

Earth Action update thanks to Paul Gipe.  Learn more about his cause at to http://www.wind-works.org/cms/