Potsdam starts heat transition: This is how the large energy transition runs!

Potsdam starts heat transition: This is how the large energy transition runs!

Potsdam, Deutschland - The city of Potsdam is facing a crucial turn in energy supply. With a clear plan for the heat transition and the support from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), Energie und Wasser Potsdam GmbH (EWP) wants to advance switching to renewable energy sources. According to maz-online.de Now resilient for this turn, which puts the financing concept both financially and strategically on a solid basis.

The city council will soon vote on a total borrowing of 375 million euros, which will be necessary to implement the heat transition. Critical voices from politics complain about the path that the city tour chose to make these decisions. Instead of leading the discussion on the Supervisory Board, the committee was called behind closed doors. The concern is growing that this secret process could question the urgently needed funding, especially with regard to the South Heating Power Plant, which is to be shut down by 2035.

Background of the considerations is the high dependence on district heating for over 59,000 households in Potsdam. The EWP plans to win 60 percent of the heat from deep geothermal energy in the future. In rrb24.de it is pointed out that the heating power plant will soon increase the risk of a total failure. In order to replace the capacities in a timely manner, a new infrastructure with combined heat and power plants and geothermal systems is to be set up by the end of 2030.

critical voices and challenges

The environmental initiatives and the Potsdam climarat express concerns about financing and the potential effects on the citizens. There is afraid that inactivity would lead to considerable delays and that the funding of 225 million euros could be at risk. Mayor Mike Schubert also referred to a budget deficit of 60 million euros, which also complicated the situation.

essential for the success of this turn will be a prudent planning of the city administration. So far, the citizens and initiatives have to deal with the disagreement of those responsible, while the EWP wants to use funding from the federal government at the same time that could soon expire. In addition to the financial aspects, the housing companies are also looking for ways to introduce renewable heating.

look at the future

The efforts to create an environmentally friendly energy system are in line with the goals of Environmental Federal Agency to achieve the greenhouse gas-neutrality by 2045 at the latest. The integration of renewable energies in Potsdam could make a significant contribution. However, it remains to be seen how the city council can ultimately master the challenges of financing and the changeover. An failure could not only have financial consequences, but also considerable effects on the security of supply of citizens with heat and energy.

The next city council meeting, in which important decisions could be made, is scheduled for July 2. The city's eyes are aimed at this day, because without a good result, the light of the heat transition in Potsdam could quickly expire.