The Renewables Global Futures Report (GFR) series asks forward-looking questions. Rather than proposing a solution, the GFR series presents a collective thinking of many experts on particular topics.
GERMANY
The Vauban district of Freiburg was established in 2001 as a demonstration project for sustainable community development. Through a combination of solar PV panels, high efficiency standards in all buildings, and a bio-fueled district heating grid, many houses in Vauban produce more electricity than they consume. Surplus electricity is sold back to the city grid, and the profits are split among the district’s households. Use of renewable energy is further supported through federal tax credits and financial support from the regional electric utility.
THE NETHERLANDS
Geothermal energy has been used for heating and cooling in Heerlen since 2008, when an abandoned coal mine near the city was repurposed into a source of geothermal heat. The project uses flooded underground mine shafts to access thermal energy to power a large-scale district heating system. The system provides homes and local businesses in Heerlen with heating and cooling services and reduces the city’s carbon dioxide emissions by 65%.
BURUNDI
In Burundi, 95% of the population do not have access to electricity, and the national supply cannot keep up with growing demand. Bujumbura, Burundi’s largest city, has taken a number of actions to improve electricity access with renewables. Through partnerships with the private sector and investment banks, the city is installing solar-powered “light islands” throughout the city. These “light islands” allow activities to continue after nightfall and improve safety and quality of life. The city has also installed a 260kW PV system at Hospital University Center of Kamenge. The grid-connected system will provide more reliable energy for the hospital and help reduce cuts in power during blackouts. Any surplus energy will be feed back into the grid.
UZBEKISTAN
In 2017 65% of the city of Tashkent’s traditional city-wide heating infrastructure was past its useful life. Instead of repairing the systems with the same technology, the city is decentralizing and improving the efficiency of the heating system by building solar collectors and local boiler houses across the city’s existing district heating network.
JAPAN
In March 2019, the five-kilometer Tokyu Setagaya rail line became the first urban rail service in Japan to be powered entirely by renewable energy. The light rail line, which transports 57,000 passengers each day, is powered by geothermal and hydro power. The rail service used 2,200 megawatt-hours of electricity in 2018. The switch to renewable power is projected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 1,263 metric tonnes per year.