Renewable Energy – Solutions for application in the communal energy infrastructure

FOREWORD |
5
Think globally, benefit locally
Wind power, solar energy, geothermal energy, biogas
and biofuels – renewable energies are on the rise
around the world. Just 20 years ago, they were a niche
product, but today their expansion rates exceed those
of fossil energy sources. This is partly due to the
ever more visible and severe consequences of climate
change. Increasingly frequent weather extremes – such
as droughts and floods – have pushed the energy transition
up the political agenda. In addition to advances
in technology and a reduction of costs, the success of
renewable energy sources is also due to the fact that
they offer great benefits at the local level.
The use of renewable energy sources such as wind
and solar energy not only produces no CO 2 , but also
no harmful emissions such as fine dust and nitrogen
oxides. Municipalities can immediately benefit from
better air quality when power generation, heating and
mobility are switched to clean energy sources.
In addition, renewables also offer new opportunities
for the regional economy. Every region is characterised
by its own specific energy potential. In one area, there
may be high solar radiation, while in another there is
abundant wind energy, and in other places there are
high resources of biomass and other residual materials.
Using this potential is economically attractive for municipalities
in several respects. By supplying municipal
or community facilities with renewable energy solutions,
the municipality and the institutions themselves
can first benefit from favourable energy costs. A children’s
home in Bishkek (the capital of Kyrgyzstan), for
example, previously spent a large part of its budget on
electricity. The new photovoltaic system saves energy
costs and leaves more budget for the primary activities
of the home.
The construction of renewable energy plants also creates
jobs in local trade enterprises and planning offices.
Many technologies, including primary and secondary
components, can also be manufactured locally in whole
(or at least in part). Regions with particularly favourable
conditions can, in turn, become energy exporters,
for example, with wind power or biofuels, and thus
generate additional income. Renewable energy projects
also allow relevant expertise to be nurtured and developed
at the local level. The solar plant located on the
grounds of the State Technical University “Abu Rayhan
Beruni” in Tashkent (the Capital of Uzbekistan) not
only provides renewable and reliable energy, but also
serves to demonstrate and educate students and other
interested parties on renewable energy technologies.
The decentralised nature of renewable energy is particularly
valuable in remote regions that otherwise rely on
fuel or electricity supply over long distances. At the vocational
training centre of the Mongolian University of
Life Sciences (MULS) in Nart Töv, about 140 kilometres
north of the capital Ulaanbaatar, solar and wind energy,
in combination with a battery storage system, have
replaced the former diesel generator. Instead of having
to pay for (and transport) large quantities of diesel, the
vocational training centre has now created a reliable
and inexpensive energy supply for itself.
The demands on energy supply are wide-ranging, as
are the possibilities of renewable energies. With this in
mind, we hope you discover some interesting insights
into the areas of application and the vast opportunities
that renewable energy sources and technologies offer.
When citizens and businesses utilize and rely on local
renewable energy sources it also benefits the community.
By spending less money on – mostly imported –
fossil fuels, more stays in the region, thereby helping to
boost the local economy.