sustainable energy in urban areas

• cities make great demands on energy supply. up to now, burning fossil fuels has provided this energy
• pollution and climate change have meant that the production of a sustainable energy supply is becoming more important
• freiberg has a strict energy policy based on:

  • energy saving
  • efficient technology
  • use of renewable energy sources
• the city plans to be 100 percent powered by renewable energy by 2050, this will require halving energy consumption by increasing energy efficiency in homes, office and factories
• freiberg is one of the sunniest cities in germany so solar power is an important form of renewable energy. there are about 400 solar panel instillations in the city, these include the main railway station and the football stadium
• Freiberg produces 10 million kilowatts of electricity per year from solar energy, homes often produce more than they need and can sell any excess.
• the largest proportion of freibergs renewable electricity comes from biomass using waste wood and rapeseed oil, this produces anough energy to heat Freibergs three swimming pools