The „Eco-energieland“ is an association consisting of 15 communities in the southeast region of Austria (province Burgenland). One of its founder members is the European Center for Renewable Energy (EEE) in Güssing. The EEE takes part in the Coach Bioenergy project and has implemented the Regional Strategy Planning (RESP) with the 15 communities of the ökoEnergieland.

The initial situation within the 15 communities regarding the utilization of renewable energy (especially based on biomass) is very different. 2 Communities (Güssing and Strem) are already on a very successful way when it comes to energy self sufficiency. Some other communities are going to start now with strategic measures.

In regular meetings the guidelines and objectives of RESP were presented by the EEE to the stakeholders of the ökoEnergieland and then also to the public.

The main objective of the RESP project is energy self sufficiency in all communities of the ökoEnergieland.

This ambitious goal is to be reached by these measures:

• Local biogas grid
• Utilization of synthetic fuels (Bio SNG and 2^nd generation fuels)
• Fuel cells for private households
• LEDs for street lighting
• Photovoltaic plants
• CO₂ reduction with the help of algae

The current state of energy consumption in the ökoEnergieland communities was calculated at the beginning of RESP, also the potential of resources. The implementation of a local biogas grid with 2 or 3 additional biogas plants (in addition to 2 already existing biogas plants) is a main result of the regional energy strategy planning.


Map of the ökoEnergieland communities and the projected local biogas grid (red is the already existing district heating grid and green is the projected biogas grid)

The goal of the local biogas grid is to connect the biogas plants in order to supply communities with renewable energy, which aren’t supplied yet.

To provide the biogas plants (and all the other plants) with biomass from the region the foundation of a regional feedstock association is required. With the help of this feedstock association the collection, delivery and distribution of biomass, which is not being used until now is to be reached – for example: woody biomass along rivers, residues coming from pruning of trees and shrubs in private gardens, pruning of vines, grass strips along municipal roads. The main objectives of RESP in the ökoEnergieland are going to be implemented within a time frame until 2020.

Contact:

European Center for Renewable Energy
Europastraße 1
A-7540 Güssing

Tel. 0043 3322 9010 85020
Mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
URL: www.eee-info.net