Friedberg is shaping the energy future: bifa Umweltinstitut

Energy saving, energy efficiency and the development of renewable energy are an indispensible building block for climate protection and security of supply for a town or city. Since September 2013, the bifa Umweltinstitut/G.A.S. Prof. Sahner project group has been working on drawing up an energy use plan (ENP) for the city of Friedberg.

An ENP is an informal planning instrument for municipalities. It integrates existing individual concepts, closes existing data gaps and therefore provides an overview of the current and future energy demand and supply situation. By bringing these together, integral concepts and planning objectives are pointed out and a basis is provided, for example, for area use plans, masterplans and project or building plans.

In the meantime, both the data survey and the potential analysis have been completed and the heat register (heat demand analysis) has been drawn up for the urban area. The data survey of the existing energy demand, the existing energy infrastructure and the energy potential is fundamental for preparation of the ENP. The survey collects and evaluates systematically, not only the electricity and heat consumption data, but also the technical infrastructure data (utility networks, energy generation plants, etc.). The preparation of heat demand maps has enabled homogeneous settlement types to be defined within the city area. Broken down into these units, action areas can be defined which are, for example, preferential areas for redevelopment or redensification.

Based on the analysis of the actual situation, including the heat demand and potential for renewable energy within the city area, future concepts will be developed for Friedberg's energy supply. The starting point for developing these concepts is the formation of scenarios, which are based on key points of a future Friedberg energy policy for the areas of energy saving, energy efficiency and renewable energy. The key points of the scenarios are defined in the city of Friedberg's energy project group. Furthermore, the necessary actions are developed with the involvement of relevant players for implementation. The actions are planned to have been developed by the summer break.