50 Solar Energy Estates in North Rhine-

Author: Dr. Dagmar Everding Ministry for housing and building Elisabethstr. 5-11 D-40217 Düsseldorf Tel. 0211-3843-311, Fax – 3843-601 E-Mail: [email protected]

Solar Energy Estates in Northrhine- 4 litres of oil for one square meter per Westphalia year. - Production of hot water: Solar energy has to contribute at least 60 percent of the In Northrhine-Westphalia, almost 18 million energy required. people live in an area of 34.000 square - Consumption of electricity: At least 1/3 of kilometres. North Rhine Westphalia is known the average annual electricity needs are to for its industrial regions with coal mines and be covered by solar energy. steel works. Since fourty years there has been an intensitive structural change. In the mean At least two of the requirements are to be time signs of the change can clearly be seen in fulfilled in order to obtain the status of a the cities: technology centres, solar production ”Solar Energy Etstate in Planning”. industries, big solar power plants, low energy housings and solar architecture. In addition, a planning manual places further requirements to integrate the estate into a In 1997, four ministries (Economics, Urban comprehensive concept. Among other things Development, Research and Construction) this relates to: jointly launched the campaign for the construction of 50 solar energy estates in - the integration of the estate into a location Northrhine-Westphalia. For this ambitious utility service, project, the state initiative ”Future Energies” - ecological requirements, such as the use of established an office in the Ministry for appropriate building materials, Construction and Housing to take care of the - traffic requirements, such as links with the applicants. local public transport system.

The four ministries' campaign formulates A commission of experts examines proposals specific requirements for the construction of of the cities wishing to take part. The Cities solar energy estates: look for areas, optimize urban planning for solar energy use and define the energy - Passive solar construction: 60 percent of concept of the housing projects. Urban the energy consumption specified under planning is optimized by a special software, the 1995 thermal isolation regulation is to which is made available to city be saved: At present (?) houses need 3 to administrations by the ministry for urban development. 1. Solar urban planning must not concentrate in positioning houses toward the south. On Until now 15 estates have been awarded the one hand attractive urban spaces need flexibly status ”Solar Estate in Planning”. Two solar positioned houses. On the other hand estates have just been completed: deviations from orientation to the south makes und -Bismarck. Further estates solar houses very expensive. Solar urban are already under construction. planning has to find out the optimized figures for urban designing and efficient solar Solar estate Steinfurt solutions. To be erected in the Borghorst quarter of the town of Steinfurt is the first solar housing 2. The selling-prices of the houses are not development with centralized solar hot water higher than usual. This is possible because the supply. In conjunction with an underground ministries give subventions for planning and thermal storage unit (using gravel and water) investment. Houses with traditional about 45 % of heating and hot water demand architecture are quite successful in the market, is covered by harvesting the sun’s energy. wooden houses or houses with modern design Features of this development: 48 housing unit, have more difficulties to be sold, especially in energy-conserving, passive solar construction, the old industrial regions. centralized solar collection heating system, 2 The buyers will save enery costs on a large 550 m of collector area, long-term heat scale if they use the solar houses in the right storage unit. way. However, in Germany heating is not expensive, therefore people are not very Solar estate Gelsenkirchen motivated to save energy. The new tax for The first housing development in the Ruhr energy consumption will increase the price Region to fully exploit solar potential is step by step. IN contrast, the deregulation of coming into being in the Bismarck quarter of the electricity market will cause a significant Gelsenkirchen. Both masonry and frame fall of electricity prices. The new special homes will be built. In addition to regulation for electricity produced by solar autonomous, house-by-house energy supplies, energy is very important. Every owner of solar energy transfer points at terminal stations will panels receives 0.99 DM for one kW electric also be used for groups of homes. Features of power fed into the public electricity supply. the development: 72 housing units, annual We are optimistic to get even better heating requirements 40 to 60 % below conditions for solar estates. Concerning this specifications in the Thermal Isolation Code, question we have to look for partnership in solar collection covers 65 % of warm water Europe. demand ( 440 m2 of solar collectors), In its ”White Paper for a Community Strategy photovoltaic units cover 40 % of power and Action Plan, Energy for the future: demand; installed output: 88 kWp, installation Renewable Sources of Energy”, the European of gas lines for cooking purposes, rainwater Commission has formulated the ”ambitious percolation. but realistic objective” of doubling the proportion of renewable energies by the year 2010 from 6 to 12 percent. Since march 2000 Results and conclusions the project ”50 Solar Energy Housing Estates” in Northrhine-Westphalia is part of the The project ”50 Solar Energy Housing european ”Campaign for Take-Off”. Estates” is also a big process of learning. Planning and realizing the first estates we will 3. The first solar energy estates confirm the get much new knowledge, which we want to important part of cities and their local use in the following projects: administration. Local authorities have to identify with solar projects and it is necessary, - to build up a local network of all persons, that in the local administration the different groups and associations, who take part in competences work together. solar projects, for empowerment of the actors, and at the same time, 4. Today solar energy estates are isles in the - to develop local aims and indicators for cities. The question is, how solar estates and spreading use of solar energy. other solar projects can be weaved in a The solar City project of the International spider’s web. I see two ways: Energy Agency is a good help on this way.

Projects registered as ”Solar Housing Estate in Planning”

Ahlen Ÿ 24 units

Ÿ thermal isolation 60 % below 1995 ”Heat Isolation

Ordinance”

Ÿ solar water heating (60 %)

Ÿ decentral heating supply via natural gas heating

(Brennwertkessel)

Beckum Ÿ around 80 units

Ÿ thermal isolation 60 % below 1995 ”Heat Insulation

Ordinance”

Ÿ 60 % of warm water supplied via solar thermal collectors

Bielefeld Ÿ around 55 units

Ÿ low-energy-housing standard

Ÿ local network supplies heating energy for groups of houses

Ÿ 60 % of warm water supplied via solar thermal collectors

Ÿ one third of electricity supplied via photovoltaic cells

Bonn-Tannenbusch Ÿ around 100 units

Ÿ thermal isolation below low-energy-housing standard,

partly passive house standard

Ÿ large-scale heliothermal unit (570 m²)

Ÿ generation of electricity via photovoltaic cells (1742 m²) Dorsten Ÿ 34 units

Ÿ decentralized energy supplie via natural gas fired

(Brennwertkessel)

Ÿ 62 % of warm water supplied via solar thermal collectors

Ÿ more than one third of electricity supplied via photovoltaic cells

Duisburg - 30-35 units

- thermal isolation 60 percent below 1995 ”Heat isolation ordinance”

- 60 % of warm water supplied via solar thermal collectors

Gelsenkirchen Ÿ 77 units

Ÿ annual heat consumption of buildings 40% below

1995 ”Heat Isolation Ordinance”

Ÿ 65% of warm water supplied via solar thermal collectors

(around 470 m2), independent ”island” units and supply for groups of houses

Ÿ 40% of electricity supplied via photovoltaic cells

(around 80 kWp)

Hückelhoven Ÿ 130 units

Ÿ buildings need an average of 35 % less heating energy than

defined in 1995 ”Heat Insulation Ordinance”

Ÿ 60% of warm water supplied via solar thermal collectors

Ÿ 1/3 of electricity supplied via photovoltaic cells

(around 160 kWp)

Köln-Bilderstöckchen Ÿ 77 units of 1930

(existent buildings) Ÿ heat isolation standard as low-energy-housing

Ÿ warm water supplied via solar thermal collectors

and wood furnace

Köln-Bocklemünd - 100 units of 1960

(existing buildings) - heat isolation nearly as low-energy-housing

- 35 % of warm water supplied via solar thermal collectors

- Köln-Worringen Ÿ around 70 units

Ÿ heat insulation standard partly low-energy-housing standard

(30 % below 1995 ”Heat Insulation Ordinance”),

partly passive house standard (max. 15 kWh/m²a),

average heat insulation standard 60 % below

1995 ”Heat Insulation Ordinance”

Ÿ reduction of electricity demand through installation of

low-energy household equipment (stove, dishwater,

washing machine)

Ÿ warm water: more than 60 % via solar thermal collectors

Krefeld Ÿ 37 units, timber construction

Ÿ low-energy-housing standard

Ÿ solar warm water supply

Ÿ electricity generation via photovoltaic cells

Rheinberg Ÿ 48 units

Ÿ thermal isolation 60 % below 1995 ”Heat Isolation

Ordinance”

Ÿ solar warm water supply (60 %)

Ÿ decentral heating supply via natural gas heating

(Brennwertkessel)

Steinfurt-Borghorst Ÿ 48 units

Ÿ highly reduced heating demand of houses (passive standard)

Ÿ solar heating system (solar thermic collectors ca. 550 m2)

with long-term storage capacity (1800 m3)