Heat, mobility, electricity: Oder-Spree takes a holistic approach to climate protection

The Agentur für Erneuerbare Energien e. V. (AEE) honors the Oder-Spree district as Energy Community of the Month in February.

The Oder-Spree district shows how a successful energy transition can be achieved in rural areas. With a climate adaptation concept, citizen participation and a strong expansion of renewable energies, the region is already producing more electricity than it consumes. Through sector coupling, renewable energy is not only used for electricity, but also for heat and mobility.

The Brandenburg district with 180,000 inhabitants is located south-east of Berlin and extends to the Polish border. It is one of the first rural districts in Germany to have a climate protection concept as well as a climate adaptation concept, which analyzes and identifies fields of action, potential and measures for the sustainable design of the region. Around 928 gigawatt hours (GWh) of renewable electricity were generated in the Oder-Spree district itself in 2022, which corresponds to 120% of demand being met. However, the district is not satisfied with this and is continuing to expand renewables with a view to the future. The renewable electricity can also be used for mobility and heating (sector coupling).

In 2024, 10,500 photovoltaic systems were installed in the district. To this day, the focus is on the socially and environmentally compatible expansion of photovoltaic systems. This means that special attention is paid to criteria such as biodiversity, local value creation and the water balance as well as the integration of the systems into the overall municipal concept during construction. To ensure that the energy transition meets with broad local approval, the Oder-Spree district also recommends that its municipalities actively involve citizens in the content and financing of photovoltaic systems. One example of citizen involvement and participation is the citizens' cooperative "Bürgerenergie Oder-Spree (BEOS eG)", which was founded in 2020 and primarily initiates and supports community-oriented projects for the generation and storage of electricity and heat from renewable energies. Due to its large open spaces, flat topography and high wind speeds, the Oder-Spree district also offers ideal conditions for wind turbines. The district is taking advantage of this potential: in 2024, the 175 wind turbines accounted for around 454,000 kilowatts (kW), more than half of the installed capacity of regional, emission-free energy.

The Oder-Spree district's fields of action and measures go far beyond the expansion of renewable energies and sustainable mobility. From building efficiency and refurbishment to forestry, food and agriculture, the detailed plans offer an integrated approach to ensure the success of the Oder-Spree district's overall project.

"The Oder-Spree district shows that climate protection is not a burden, but an opportunity for a better quality of life and regional value creation," says Dr. Robert Brandt, Managing Director of AEE. "Every solar installation on a school roof, every wind turbine on our fields and every citizen participation brings us closer to our goal: a livable, sustainable home for future generations."

For example, according to the potential analysis, it is not only the expansion of renewable heat sources, but also the insulation and sealing of existing buildings that offers the greatest energy potential in the area of heating. The transformation of the energy system towards a decentralized supply is also key. This must not only be mastered technically, but is also seen as a challenge for existing business models. Synergies and sector coupling are seen as potential for combining energy transition processes, relieving the burden on the economy and maximizing local value creation.