solarstadt-gelsenkirchen.de: News

A Tankful Green Electricity

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 10:37:00 +0200

For a short time E-mobiles can be charged at ELE-charging stations. Four stations which provide 2 x 22 kilowatt went on line this week. They are located next to the ELE head office, on Mulvanystraße in Gelsenkirchen, near the city halls of Buer and Bottrop and the ELE center in Gladbeck. The car can now be recharged while they are parked via special connectors. Car and charging station communicate via a module. This is also how you pay for the electricity.

(...)

Source: ELE

An exclamation point for green energy

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:55:00 +0200

By laying the foundation stone for two wind engines on heap Oberscholven in the north of Gelsenkirchen, the Ruhr is stepping into a new stage of its long history as an energy region. ELE Scholven Wind GmbH invests some six million euro for the two engines which generate 4,6 MW of electricity together. For this project Emscher Lippe Energie GmbH (ELE) and Mingas-Power GmbH, a subsidiary of Evonik, based in Essen, founded a new company called ELE Scholven Wind GmbH.

The two engines will cover the energy consumption of a city with 10,000 inhabitants. This shows how strong the wind is in the middle of the Ruhr. And this is only the beginning: "These wind engines mark the starting point for further, similar acivities in this area" says Andreas Minke, CEO of ELE Scholven Wind and Minigas-Power. "When you take a look at the Ruhr you see numerous similar locations which are available." For Evonik's business area of energy, activities in the green sector are an important and neccessary addition to their portfolio, including a great initial position for economic growth. Minke emphasizes: "We want to enlarge and develop the sector of wind energy engineering. In this and in future projects, RAG is an important partner for ELE Scholven. Not only do they own the heaps, they also bring important expert knowledge.

The construction of wind engines of this dimension on heaps in the Ruhr was absolutely new for both companies. "The wind engines are a visible sign for the potential of renewable energies that RAG has made up for related projects on their areas." explains Walter Eilert, who coordinated RAG's activities in the sector of renewable energies. A recent survey by RAG has shown that up to 40 heaps in the Ruhr are suited for modern wind engines.

Already in a few months the two wind engines will have set an exclamation point for the Emscher-Lippe region that are visible within a distance of 30 kilometers. Mayor Frank Baranowski is very happy: "Such a signal for the whole region is great for Gelsenkirchen, the city of future energies (...)." For ELE, local power supplier and stockholder of ELE Scholven Wind GmbH, this project is the biggest single investment in the sector of green electricity. Therefor the wind engines have a huge symbolic power both for ELE and the region. While laying the foundation stone, Kurt Rommel, CEO of ELE asks his guests to "(t)ake a look around. The Emscher-Lippe region is much greener than its reputation." He adds: "In the future ELE wants to contribute to make energy for Gelsenkirchen, Gladbeck and Bottrop greener, step by step. The engines are important on our way to green electricity and laying the foundation stone is a milestone."

The towers are to be constructed 120 m above Emscher-Lippe on the heap in Scholven. Two special cranes will help piling the components which weight up to 40 t. That is a precision job for the crane operator, who has to rely on integrated cameras and the visual judgement of his colleagues, especially during high wind. They stand on the rack to receive the components at the tower. You definitely have to be free of dizziness in order to install generator ond rotor, 100 m above ground.

Before being installed, each component of the engines has taken a long journey. It takes between 60 and 80 heavy goods vehicles to get the components from their producer Enercon, based in Aurich, to Gelsenkirchen. In the middle of the night the trickiest part starts for the drivers: they have to maneuver the vehicles to the top of the heap on narrow cravel paths and through tight turns. "In terms of wind regime this location is perfect, but on the other hand it is a logistic challenge for us." says Andreas Minke.

(...)

Here are some facts about the wind engines which are identical in construction:

- Producer: ENERCON GmbH, Aurich
- Classification: E-82 E2
- Actual power output: each 2,300 kW
- Total height: 139,38 m
- Hub height: 98,38 m
- Caliber of rotor: 82 m
- Direction of rotation: clockwise
- Drive: variable, 6 - 18 rpm
- Height of base: 190 m above sea level; 120 m above surrounding
- Capacity of concrete-base: 460 m³
- Caliber of base: 17,6 m
- Caliber lowest component (ring): 7.5 m

(...)

Source: ELE

Catching the first rays of sunshine

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:24:00 +0200

It is finally done: 4,000 solar modules and 100 power inverters have been installed, 20 kilometers of co-current flow cables have been run. The construction work of Gelsenkirchen's biggest solar power plant was completed as scheduled. From now on green electricty is fed into the electricity network from seven injection points.

Only last week, mayor of Gelsenkirchen Frank Baranowski and Kurt Rommel and Ulrich Köllmann, CEOs of Emscher Lippe Energie (ELE) and the Gesellschaft für Energie und Wirtschaft (GEW), bolt down the three thousandth module on the roof of the former central market in Ückendorf. Currently ELE and GEW are founding a new company which is to operate the solar power plant.

(...)

Gelsenkirchen and Herten are well on their way to become InnovationCity Ruhr

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 10:20:00 +0200

Gelsenkirchen and Herten's common application was shortlisted, so both cities are still in the race of the project „InnovationCity Ruhr“. This was decided by Initiativkreis Ruhr in Essen. Their competitors are Bochum, Bottrop, Essen and Mülheim.

Major of Gelsenkirchen Frank Baranowski and his counterpart from Herten Dr. Uli Paetzel were glad to have come so far:

"It turned out that both cities are well-positioned in regard to future energies. We are happy to be supported by RAG Montanimmobilien."

The pilot area is located around the former mine Lippe and includes the districts of Hassel, Scholven, Buer, Bertlich, Westerholt, Paschenberg, Langenbochum and Herten-Mitte. Its structure is ideal in terms of population, muli-centricity, basic structure of buildings, housing developments and open spaces.

The area is characteristic for the structural change of the Ruhr and needs various measures, from energy-efficient renovations to appealing designs.

Besides their technical knowledge both cities are supported by the energetic and open-minded population.

Geographic center is mine Westerholt, closed in 2008, which is located on the administrative areas of Gelsenkirchen and Herten. The concept drafts plenty of potentials for urban development such as the construction of educational institutions for technological innovations, a location for "green industry" and the coversion of a former brownfield into a nice park amongst others. Further, a new stop in the railroad track between Muenster and Essen is to be built and the mining waste dump in Scholven is to be prepared for wind energy.

"We are looking forward to taking the one-time chance to get the subsidies and private investments to our cities" declared the two majors.

Source: City of Gelsenkirchen

U.S. Delegation visits Science Park

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 09:20:00 +0200

In the course of the initiative "Transatlantic Climate Bridge", a top-class delegation of American decision makers from the political establishment and the business world visited Germany in early June. The group including Doug Stoner, Georgia State Senator, inspected the solar-roof of the Science Park, known as the cradle of Solar City Gelsenkirchen. Frank Baranowski, mayor of Gelsenkirchen, informed the group about current developments of the region. Further Wolfang Jung, project manager Future Energies, overviewed the potentials both of the economy and research in the Ruhr.

On their seven-day journey the group stopped at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Berlin, the Federal Environment Ministry and the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, amongst others. Besides, the group joined some discussions and talks with various companies from the energy sector.

The Transatlantic Climate Bridge was initiated by the Department of Freign Affairs and the Federal Environment Ministry in 2008 to foster transatlantic cooperation and partnerships between Germany and the USA. In the long term the aim is to support platforms and partnerships that help Americans and Germans exchange their know-how and to pave the way for joint solutions.

Production of Solar Modules in Gelsenkirchen upgraded to some 200 MWp

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 12:01:00 +0200

Scheuten Solar is enlarging its production of modules. By the middle of 2010 the production lines in Gelsenkirchen are being enlarged by some 60 MW. The total production capacity will be almost 200 MW p/a. This is a doubling, compared to early 2009 which was necessary to satisfy the increasing requirements of Multisol®-Modules.

The construction of the fully automated production line is carried of with the help of state-of-the-art technology. Additional automatic testings assure fast and reliable checks of the high product quality, typical for Multisol®-Modules.

Source: Scheuten

Taking the E-Mobil for a ride

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:11:00 +0200

Electric cars are almost silent and emission-free. These aspects make them very interesting for city centers of metropolitan areas. In addition the CO2 emmission is reduced to the minimum. Keeping these advantages in mind, THS Wohnen is planning to buy a lot more electrical cars, as an investment in a green future.

(...)

Biomass on former Coal Mine Area

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 12:26:00 +0200

On the area of former mine Hugo in Gelsenkirchen-Buer the first european biomass park on a brownfield was opened December 17, 2009.

In the course of a pilot project of RAG Montan Immobilien GmbH a so called „Kurzumtriebsplantage“ is to be developed on the large area which is also to be used as a park and recreation area. After having conditioned the earth, some 250,000 fast-growing cottonwoods and willows shall be planted.

Further information here.

hauptmenu/projekte/projekte-einzelansicht/biomassepark-hugo/?L=zqqgqgddxrd

Planned: First national climate-protection-residential estate

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 09:42:00 +0100

Now Gelsenkirchen is up-to-date in the matter of climate protection. The Solar City, including Germany's largest photovoltaics-residential area and the first solar residential area of the Ruhr, is now involved in a new NRW-project. An exemplary passive house project is being planned at a prominent location. It is the first of 100 planned climate-protection residential estates in North Rhine-Westphalia. Today (12/9/2009) this concept is being presented to the city's planning board (4 pm, city hall). The pilot project is supposed to show how you can cut the requirements of the current energy saving regulations by more than the half. This is to be achieved by combining solar energy, efficient insulation, state-of-the-art heat technology including waste heat recovery.

NRW-Secretary of Commerce, Christina Thoben, who introduced the project in October, is enthusiastic about the quick answer from Gelsenkirchen.
"I'm really happy that the first climate-protection housing estate in NRW is going to be built in Gelsenkirchen. Here, close to the Science Park, the building standard of the future will be realized. This impressingly shows and emphasizes the structural change of the Ruhr. This project both contributes to climate protection and creates new jobs in the building industry."

The federal state government will support the planned measures such as passive house standards, waste heat recovery, solar thermal systems and solar power plants. More than 210,000 euro are to be invested.

According to the plans of Münster based architect Helmut Mohr, the houses are to be built within eyeshot of Science Park Gelsenkirchen, internationally known known as a center for renewable energies. All in all, 4 four-storied buildings including 56 barrier-free apartments between 45 m² and 82 m² are developed, according to passive house specifications. The apartments are to be heated with solar thermal systems combined with gas condensing boilers. The produced energy will be in the highly insulated bulidungs as long as possible, due to ventilation systems including waste heat recovery. Photovoltaic modules for eco-friendly power generation are to be instelled on the roofs. The start of construction is scheduled for spring 2010. "We are optimistic to successfully continue the cooperation of NRW.Urban, the City of Gelsenkirchen, EnergieAgentur.NRW and the Department of Trade and industry", said architect Helmut Mohr as representative of all investors. "In this project we will reconcile climate protection with high-class architecture and enough freedom for future residents", Mohr sums up.

Major of Gelsenkirchen, Frank Baranowski, does not only see a great contribution for climate protection and an addition fot the Science Park in the project called "Wohnpark Rheinelbestraße". He also perceives it as an important momentum for the district. "This project is an ideal start for our urban development modernizations like the construction of the new "Justizzentrum" (Center, incl. Local-, Labor- and Social Court). It will upgrade Bochumer Straße and the district of "Neustadt" said Baranowski. "The residential estate will show once more that a high quality of urban development can be combined with energy efficiency. This is a great signal from Gelsenkirchen during the world climate conference in Copenhagen."

UN-Ambassador of Surinam is Visiting

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:21:00 +0100

For Henry L. Mac-Donald, Ambassador with United Nations, "Gelsenkirchen" is a city that he feels connected to in two ways. In the first place his brother Orlando Engelaar played with Gelsenkirchen soccer club "FC Schalke 04" in 2008. Secondly he is very interested in "Solar City Gelsenkirchen", because his home country Surinam belongs to the Alliance of Small Island States which aims at improving climate protection.
"If the world climate was heating by two degrees Celsius, as it is being negotiated in Copenhagen, 90 percent of the area where most of our population lives and where most of our industry is located, would be flooded. This is why we are fighting for a global warming of a maximum of 1.5 degrees." says the UN-Ambassador.
Experts say that Surinam ranks lowest on the list of countries, expected to suffer most from climate change and global warming. Together with Dr. Heinz-Peter Schmitz-Borchert and Wolfgang Jung, corporate management of "Solar City Gelsenkirchen e.V.", read up on the prospects of solar energy in industrial countries.
Besides a little of crude oil and ethanol made of sugarcane, Surinam covers some 80 percent of its power requirements with waterpower, free of CO2 emissions. But in this process climate change causes some problems, too, because there has been clearly less rain in the last few years. Mac-Donald is determinded to negotiate as hard as he can on the climate summit in Copenhagen, together with the President of Surinam.