Thuringia wants to expand renewable energies as quickly as possible. But: So far, systems for generating electricity from solar energy have only been installed on a few state-owned buildings.
Erfurt (dpa/th) – Thuringia wants to generate more green electricity quickly, but has so far left many state-owned properties unused as locations for solar systems. According to a response from the Thuringian Ministry of Infrastructure to a request from FDP MP Dirk Bergner, only 50 of the approximately 800 energy-relevant buildings owned by the state currently have such systems. The ministry admits that there has been only “little progress” in equipping state-owned buildings with these systems in recent years.
As early as September 2016, the Thuringian state parliament passed a resolution in which the parliament called on the state government to equip all suitable roofs of state-owned properties with photovoltaic systems by the end of 2021, taking into account economic efficiency and affordability. In addition, such systems for generating electricity should be installed in all new buildings in the country – if this makes economic sense.
According to the Ministry of Infrastructure, there are currently photovoltaic systems on several buildings of the Erfurt University of Applied Sciences, the University of Erfurt, the police in Erfurt, the agricultural office in Hildburghausen and the prison in Suhl-Goldlauter. Other locations are the Arnstadt juvenile detention center, the Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences and the ministries for infrastructure, health and energy in the state capital.
A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Infrastructure said on request that there were a total of around 1,400 buildings owned by the Free State. Of these, around 800 would have a relevant energy consumption. The remainder are smaller buildings housing, for example, river level measurement equipment and do not consume significant energy.
Environment Minister Anja Siegesmund (Greens) said the figures show that there is still potential for photovoltaic systems in Thuringia, including on state properties. “In the private sector, the numbers are increasing happily quickly.” The high demand for the state’s Solar Invest subsidy program shows this. The vacant roofs in Thuringia would have to be used “to advance the energy transition in Thuringia, to protect the climate, to support crafts and to become independent of fossil imports,” says Siegesmund.
The Ministry of Infrastructure cited delays during the corona pandemic and a lack of capacity at engineering offices as reasons for the lack of solar systems on public buildings. In some cases there were no bids or no bids that could be accepted in the tender for solar systems.
Photovoltaic systems are being planned on the buildings of the state police station in Suhl, the police station in Apolda, the state fines office in Artern and the sports high school in Jena. The expected costs per project would be between around 33,000 and 398,000 euros.
