The "Bioenergy Villages" project, in rural Gothinga, Germany, aims to promote local production of renewable energy in 120 villages in the region. Also known as the Gottinger lands, the focus is on renewable energy and climate protection.

 

The local interest is evident. In the first call for proposals in 2006, 34 villages registered for the project, 9 of which reached the feasibility study phase. There are currently 5 "Bioenergy Villages" in operation.

The execution of the project is divided into several phases:

1. Start: exchange of information about the project, and the start of the selection process and citizen participation.

2. Planning: which includes a study of heat consumption data, investment needs and operating costs, a feasibility study and financial modeling.

3. Construction: the construction of the biogas plant, the wood chip boiler and the thermal energy network of the village.

The project connects local farmers with village cooperatives that manage energy production and distribution. The seed funding comes from three main sources: the local community, LEADER, and the federal government. Under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), owners of renewable energy generators received a set rate per kilowatt-hour supplied over a 20-year period. For farmers and the local community, this meant income diversification and long-term price stability, irrespective of fossil fuel prices.

The project attracted high levels of participation from local citizens and offers significant social, economic and environmental benefits. However, changes in the EEG have meant that the same economic incentive is no longer offered for new biogas projects.