Germany's Bioenergy Village

WASHINGTON - May 31/07 - SNS -- Juehnde is the first bioenergy village in Germany, meaning that it produces all of its electricity and energy for heating and cooling locally from renewable resources, reports the U.S. agricultural attache for the country.

While the project was started in 2000, it reached the self sufficiency level for energy in June 2006. In 2007, Juehnde is expected to produce 5 million kWh electricity, while the village's consumption will amount to 2 million kWh. The excess is sold to energy providers.

The major feedstocks for electricity generation are methane (biogas) produced from fermented liquid manure and locally grown energy crops. Heat is produced as by-product from electricity generation and in Winter from burning woodchips. Transport fuels are currently not part of the concept. Major motivation behind the use of biomass is climate and resource protection.

Local agriculture is the backbone for operating the project, as 25% of the farmland and 10% of the annual forest wood growth is contracted for bioenergy production.

The project received 3 million Euro in financial support from Federal, regional, and local government agencies. It proved so successful, that a number of other bioenergy villages are being developed, even without the same government support.

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