The supplier of electric energy Elektrizitätswerke Schönau (EWS), located in Schönau im Schwarzwald in Germany set itself the target of offering electricity from renewable energies and to renounce electricity from nuclear and coal-fired power stations completely. The EWS evolved from a citizens’ initiative, which formed due to the nuclear incident in Tschernobyl 1986. After two citizen decisions 1991 and 1996 the EWS succeeded in buying the local electricity network from the former electricity supplier for 6.5 million D-Mark. The financing of this high amount was only possible by a spectacular country wide appeal for funds, which did not only made the purchase possible but also showed that every „little“ citizen can achieve something.
The citizens of Schönau completely produces their electricity themselves by block heat and power plants and photovoltaic power supplies. The spare electricity is sold along. Since the liberalisation of the electricity market in Germany in 1998 the EWS offer everyone their electricity country wide for a competitive price. In order to cover this increased demand for electricity, the EWS exclusively buy additional electricity from independent electricity producers, which do not have any financial participation in nuclear power plant operators or their subsidiaries and produce their electricity from new installations of renewable water power and climate friendly cogeneration of heat and power. This is even certified by the german TÜV an independant service provider for ensuring quality, security und reliability. By the „Sun-Cent“ which is included in the electricity tariff the development of new environment-friendly electricity plants is promoted, in particular that of private persons, who otherwise could not operate these plants economically.
Further information about the history, the support program and the method of changing your power supply provider you will find on their website.
This article was thankfully written by guest author Timm Frenzel. If you are interested in writing an article for Allternatives please contact me.