The State of Baden-Wuerttemberg

Name: The State of Baden-Wuerttemberg
Population: 10.7 million (2010)
GDP: 34.943 EUR per inhabitant (2011)
Country: Germany

Overview

GHG emissions (year): 75.2 million tons (2010). For futher details on economic and political context, see below.

The State of Baden-Württemberg, located in South West Germany, is one of the most prosperous regions in Europe. While lacking in natural resources, it has developed into a technology hub, with a high density of research institutions and high employment in high-tech and future technologies.

The state aims to become a model region for combining prosperity and sustainability, focusing its economic development on growth areas of environmental technologies, renewable energy, resource efficiency and sustainable transport. These are areas where the state believes it can build on traditional strengths in engineering, automotive industries and electronics.

Baden-Württemberg’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are split quite equitably between three main sectors; power (22.4%), transportation (28.3%) and buildings (24.5%). Although the power sector currently has a 48% nuclear capacity, the German directive for nuclear phase-out has led the state to increase investment and incentives for renewable power sources. The state aims to reduce GHG emissions by approximately 25% by 2020 and 90% by 2050 (compared to 1990 levels), and is currently preparing a ’climate protection bill’ and bottom-up ‘integrated concept for energy and climate protection’ that will translate the goals into legally binding targets.

Based on scientific research and analysis, the cross-sectoral integrated concept for energy and climate protection will define concrete climate protection measures for the period up to 2020, and outlines a vision for the decades up to 2050 in energy, private households and services, industry, transport, waste management and agriculture. The concept looks to integrate energy and climate protection while meeting the prescribed emissions targets, and further harmonize climate protection and energy policies.

The Baden-Württemberg Climate Protection and Energy Agency acts as a think tank for technical climate protection issues and promotes awareness for climate change and mitigation strategies. A network of regional energy agencies provides accessible and impartial advice and support to local communities, businesses and cities in all aspects of energy efficiency and renewable energy use.

Current Activities

Energy efficiency

In the Energy Concept 2020, the Government sets itself the goal of increasing its energy productivity by an average of 2% annually up to 2020, while at the same time reducing its primary energy consumption and keeping electricity consumption stable.

Three major campaigns aim to increase energy efficiency in the state: 'Zukunft Altbau' raises awareness for energy saving investments in house owners; 'EnergieSparCheck' co-finances expert energy efficiency checks of private homes and 'KlimaschutzPLUS' provides grants for local investment in renovation of public buildings.
Almost 80 cities and communes within the State are participating in the 'European Energy Award' contest, requiring them to undergo an internationally standardized evaluation process.
Within the 'climate neutral communities' competition, nine model communities embarked on the journey towards climate neutrality at the beginning of the year.

Renewable energy

The climate protection bill will foresee an almost complete decarbanization of Baden-Württemberg's energy sector by 2050. Nuclear power will be phased out and almost 100% of the state's energy needs should be covered by renewable energies. Some of the commitments to renewable technologies are listed below:

The Energy Concept 2020 foresees a doubling of the share of CHP in its electricity production to 20% by 2020.
The state is also currently adjusting its regional planning law in order to allow for a more widespread use of wind energy, hoping the share of wind energy in its electricity production could increase from its current 0.8% to 10% by 2020.
Hydropower is already extensively used. Further potential is currently being explored in the catchment areas of the Rhine, Danube and Neckar.
The Government is also investing €1 million to explore the construction of geothermal power stations in the Upper Rhine Plain.

In 2008, Baden-Württemberg was the first German state to establish a 'renewable heating act' making the installation of a percentage of renewable energy for heating compulsory in any renovation of existing residential buildings.

Clean transport

In its General Traffic Plan (2010), Baden-Württemberg developed a concept for 'integrated environmental mobility' by foot, bicycle and public transport. Electro-mobility is considered a major focal point of its future energy policy.

Sustainable land use

Baden-Württemberg aims to make comprehensive use of biomass for energy generation. It is also supporting the development of so-call 'bioenergy villages' and promotes energy efficiency and emission reductions in the agricultural sector as well as organic farming.

International collaboration

Baden-Württemberg promotes action on climate protection. Good examples of this are the State’s involvement with the 'Four Motors for Europe' and the 'Cross-Border Upper Rhine Conference'. On October 2012 an International Climate Conference in Stuttgart took place. The conference was held within the scope of this year’s presidency of Baden-Wuerttemberg for the ‘Four Motors for Europe’ and as part of the joint work in The Climate Group’s States and Regions Alliance.