The ‘public dialogue on grids’, pictured here at the open day of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy in Berlin. © Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy in Berlin/Michael Reitz
‘Public dialogue on grids’ picking up speed
All up and down the country, an ever greater number of renewable-energy installations are being connected to the grid. New transmission lines are needed to ensure that the electricity generated by these installations can be used where it is needed. Most importantly, the electricity generated from wind power installations in the north and the east of the country needs to be transmitted all the way to the south. This is why grid expansion is absolutely vital if we want our energy transition to be a success.
As part of the planning process, all of interests at stake must be heard and weighed up against each other. The 'public dialogue on grids', an initiative funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, is a platform that allows everybody affected by the expansion to be involved in this process. Since it was launched in May 2015, it has proven its worth as a neutral point of contact providing practical advice and a wide range of services.
Close to the people: Citizens’ conferences
The half-day conferences that will be taking place in the German cities of Erlangen (21 September), Kassel (22 September), Hanover (24 September), and Magdeburg (30 September) will provide an opportunity for the public to debate important aspects of grid expansion, including costs, alternatives, and acceptance of the projects by the public.
Close to the people: Citizens’ Bureaus
There are regular surgeries being held at the Citizens’ Bureaus that have been opened in the regions which, under the current plans, will be affected by the "electricity highways". So far, this is true for Quakenbrück (in the district of Osnabrück), Erfurt, and Fulda, where these Bureaus have made it possible for the public, the local authorities, and for companies to have local contacts they can get in touch with for information on grid projects, planning procedure, and the technologies that will be used, and any repercussions they might have. Furthermore, the Bureaus organise public dialogue events. More Citizens’ Bureaus are set to be opened over the coming weeks and months.
Close to the people: the mobile Citizens’ Bureau
The mobile Citizens’ Bureau is pictured above making an appearance in front of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy on the occasion of the German Government’s open day in late August. Its purpose is to provide the information services offered as part of the public dialogue on grids to people living in regions that do not have their own Citizens’ Bureau. Anyone interested in the expansion of the grid, individual steps of the procedure, or ways in which the public can get involved can turn to staff for this information.
Searching projects by postcode
There is a lot of talk about 'electricity highways' and routes and many people wonder whether these will affect their own region as well. A new search tool, which can be found at www.buergerdialog-stromnetz.de (in German only) helps answer this question: users can simply enter their postcode and will be directed to a list of all of the potential projects in the vicinity. This includes all of many projects for which, so far, only the starting and end points are known (such as with Suedlink), with the routes having yet to be determined.
Expert chats
Ask your question and receive an answer in real-time: that is the idea behind the online dialogue or expert chats, of which the first was held on 4 September 2015. The dates for the next few events – also to be held this month – have yet to be fixed.
Furthermore, the public can use the website of the public dialogue to ask their questions 24/7. All questions will be answered by email within three working days.