Local energy transition: citizens' cooperative Meine Energie Bottwartal founded!

Local energy transition: citizens' cooperative Meine Energie Bottwartal founded!

The citizens' energy cooperative “Mein Energie Bottwartal eG” was founded in Großbottwar, an important step for the regional energy transition. This initiative is part of a comprehensive municipal agenda process under the guiding principle CLIMATE. The “Energy Networks” agenda group, which has been meeting in the town hall for two years, is committed to the goal of promoting photovoltaic systems and strengthening citizen participation in renewable energies. The focus is on implementing sustainable projects to support local economic development. The supervisory board, consisting of Tobias Gabler, Günter Zimmermann and Robert Wien, was recently elected, while Jürgen Kiefer and Andreas Föll were appointed as board members.

In order to actively involve citizens in this process, the supervisory board announced an information event for July 17, 2025. The cooperative plans to build three photovoltaic systems with a total output of around 250 kilowatt peak.

Community energy and its opportunities

Community energy is a key concept for helping to shape the energy transition in Germany. This form of energy production enables citizens to actively participate in the production of renewable energy. Loud Energy change Community energy companies can not only implement their own projects, but also participate in existing projects. To establish such a company, at least 15 naturalized persons are required as members.

Thanks to government support, community energy companies can benefit from funding. This support includes, among other things, the opportunity to receive remuneration for wind turbines and photovoltaic systems without having to take part in tenders. In this way, the region is developed sustainably and economic advantages are created locally. The cooperative structure succeeds in offering citizens, companies and municipalities equal participation.

The role of municipalities

The acceptance of the energy transition depends heavily on the active support of society. How Böll emphasizes, municipalities play a central role in the implementation of renewable energy projects. Transparent communication and opportunities for citizens to participate are crucial in order to avoid conflicts at the local level. Through targeted measures such as citizen participation and the establishment of their own energy companies, municipalities can secure local value creation and increase acceptance among the population.

The success of such initiatives is also reflected in the fact that the economic benefits of renewable energies must be clearly communicated. Citizen participation in these projects is important not only for procedural fairness, but also for long-term acceptance and engagement in the energy transition.