Barnim District Council: Purchase of the Eberswalde wood-fired power plant for green heat!

Barnim District Council: Purchase of the Eberswalde wood-fired power plant for green heat!

Something is happening in Barnim! The Alliance 90/The Greens faction has clearly spoken out in favor of acquiring the wood-fired power plant (HoKaWe) in Eberswalde. How Barnim Current reports, this step is intended to use the heat generated by burning wood to heat Eberswalde apartments. District council member Birgit Ziemke emphasizes how crucial this purchase is for an affordable and climate-friendly energy supply.

In the current situation, the wood-fired power plant is only operated to generate electricity with a modest level of efficiency. A purchase would not only be economical, but also sustainable. The plans support the transformation to a fossil-free heat supply and help reduce natural gas imports while at the same time promoting regional value creation.

A responsible step

The group emphasizes the importance of the origin of the wood used for combustion. Concerns from environmental groups are taken seriously and incorporated into decision-making. Katja Hoyer, the parliamentary group leader, emphasizes that the operation of the power plant must not place any additional burden on the forests. “We rely on waste wood that cannot be recycled, in accordance with our ecological principles,” says Hoyer. The acquisition of HoKaWe is therefore seen as an important building block for the energy infrastructure and sustainable regional development.

Kreiswerke Barnim GmbH (KWB) and 1Heiz Energie GmbH are currently negotiating the acquisition of the power plant. How Barnim district works reported, an adjacent pellet plant is also part of the negotiation package. These discussions are of great importance, not only for the power plant employees, who have already been informed, but also for the future energy supply of the city of Eberswalde.

• Das Holzkraftwerk (HoKaWe) hat eine Feuerungswärmeleistung von 68 MW.
• Die elektrische Leistung beträgt 20 MW, was ausreicht, um rund 40.000 Haushalte mit Strom zu versorgen.
• Das Pelletwerk, das seit 2009 in Betrieb ist, produziert jährlich etwa 35.000 Tonnen Holzpellets.

Sustainable energy transition

The current developments are in line with the major goal of the energy transition in Germany. By 2030, 41% of gross final energy consumption is expected to come from renewable energies, and by 2024, 22.4% has already been achieved, according to figures from Federal Environment Agency show.

Biomass, which includes electricity generation from wood-fired power plants, is the most important renewable energy source at 47% and therefore plays a central role in the energy transition. The use of this technology will not only reduce CO₂ emissions, but also strengthen regional value creation and independence from fossil fuels.

Overall, it shows that the potential purchase of the Eberswalde wood-fired power plant is a step in the right direction to shape the region's energy future sustainably. The commitment of the district council group and the district works promises not only progress, but also responsibility towards the environment. It remains to be hoped that the negotiations will be fruitful and that Eberswalde will soon be able to benefit from the advantages of a climate-friendly energy supply.