The Energy Transition in the Community - Results of the Household Survey in Baar, Holzheim, Münster and Thierhaupten
The energy transition can be put into practice on a municipal level if solutions are found which are environmentally and consumer friendly for the communities and accepted by the population. Support for the "local fit" project, promoted by BMBF, is offered by bifa and the University of Munich for this process, which frequently is conflict-laden in the case of wind parks or power lines.
All 2,699 households in Baar, Holzheim, Münster and Thierhaupten were contacted by mail with the request to fill out a questionnaire developed specifically for the region. Two-thirds of all the people from Baar, who were questioned, indicated that they had concerned themselves "very much" or "much" with the subject of energy transition. However, in this connection, the citizens of Baar, more frequently than those of other communities, fear the negative consequences, such as "major interventions in the landscape" or "increasing annoyance due to noise and odour (due to wind turbines or biomass installations)". In spite of the sceptical attitude to energy transition, the wind park with four wheels, which was currently requested by the Uhl company at the Baar mountain, was not rejected completely – on the contrary: a majority of 54.6% voted for the construction of at least one of the four planned installations, while 43.4% declined all of them.
Nevertheless, the subject of wind energy in Baar remains disputed and, in answer to the question of alternatives, a large majority in each case: 60 to 70% favoured photovoltaic roof installations, solar heat and heat pumps, because these "can easily be put into practice", "fit well into the landscape" and "are useful economically".
On the basis of the results of the survey, bifa employees will closely examine the consumption of private households, the heating installations operated and the renovation condition of the buildings. At a first business meeting with members of the local council, information concerning municipal real estate and local businesses, real estate and trade, will also be compiled. Subsequently, it will be investigated whether a common heat supply for several real estate properties or for supplying human settlement represents an attractive solution for the community. This is to be put into concrete terms in further workshops, to which all members of the community of Baar are invited.