- Referent für Energie und Umwelt
- Phone 0621 10708-25
- Fax 0621 10708-34
The Rhine-Neckar Regional Energy Concept is intended to offer an holistic view of every energy sector by reflecting on the aspects of supply reliability, economic viability, climate and environmental protection, as well as the impact on the job market. The concept is to be based upon a representation of the energy policy and economics frameworks, as well as a balancing of the production and consumption of energy in the region. Building on this information, it will take a look at the potential for energy savings, how energy can be used efficiently, together with the possibilities of renewable energy. Conventional forms of energy and energy-efficient transport concepts will also be considered. The main objective of the project is to develop scenarios for issues such as decentralised or centralised energy production and distribution or the energy mix of the future. Finally, it is planned to develop recommendations for action, models and realisation-oriented project outlines for the key players in the energy sector. The precise study framework for the concept was coordinated with the ministries of the environment and economic affairs, the state energy agencies of the three federal states concerned and the regionally affected protagonists. These are involved in drafting the concept through their work in working groups and steering committees.
Balancing greenhouse gases and air pollutant emissions
The balancing of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants is part of the climate expert report for the Rhine-Neckar region, and represents a basis for both the Strategic Environmental Assessment within the scope of the Standardised Regional Plan, as well as for the Regional Energy Concept.
The aim of the balancing is to collate current data on air pollutants (particularly NOx, particulate matter, SOx) as well as greenhouse gases (CO2 and equivalent emissions) from the source groups transport, energy supplies, domestic fuel, domestic refuse and agriculture/forestry. This survey is intended to provide the Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region with its very first in-depth spatial and quantified map depicting the emission sources of air pollutants and greenhouse gases, which can also be used as a basis for mitigation strategies and climate preservation and environmental programmes. In addition, a transparent and comprehensible methodology that enables ongoing monitoring of emission sources in the region is being developed as part of the study compiled by the Geonet tender society (Hanover), Ökoplana (Mannheim) and Professor Gross (University of Hanover).
Biomass material flow management for the Rhine-Neckar region
The renewable energy concepts for the Rhine-Neckar region attested bioenergy as having a broad, but as yet still widely ignored potential. As this is an extremely heterogeneous sector (different raw materials, recycling methods and forms of consumer utilisation, together with a broad spectrum of key players), it was deemed practical to conduct a material flow management study for biomass. This is intended to quantify the areas of potential, and the appropriate usage concepts can then be developed from its results.
Consequently, the concept that has meanwhile been prepared by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research in Heidelberg (Ifeu) and the Institute for Applied Material Flow Management (Ifas) is designed to be realisation-oriented. It demonstrates specific project proposals with investment, logistic and protagonist frameworks.