Conference objectives - From model to mainstream

The Local Renewables Conferences in Freiburg are the platform for both advanced actors and those starting their local energy transformation. The conferences profile:

• The advanced meeting their peers: A meeting place for the 100% RE communities, flagships of their regions, award winners and model communities.
• Practical tools for practitioners: A learning place for shaping and implementing policies to benefit from RE and EE, as well as energy savings. Addressing: How to get started? Which tools are useful? How has it been done?
• Preparing political ground: A discussion place on indispensable national and international framework conditions for local implementation of global energy and climate targets, with clear signals to the current climate negotiations for a post-2012 climate agreement.
• Mobilising and capacity for action: From kindergarten to university - how to prepare the new generation for the post-carbon age? Practical examples, exhibition, workshops and more.
• Sustainable energy in reality: Demonstration place for Green Cities, municipal models and tools, practices and technical solutions, Freiburg Green City as a space for study tours.

Background

Since 2005, ICLEI has taken on the topic of renewable energy in cities as a special initiative in its work. Local renewable energy is the engagement of local governments, such as cities and towns, and local actors, such as citizens and businesses, in the generation and supply of sustainable energy in the urban environment. Both renewable energy and energy efficiency, and the roles and responsibilities of local governments, are a driving force for innovation and investment in their communities.

The Local Renewables Initiative brings together model cities from across the globe, and ICLEI in particular has offered its expertise in helping cities in India and Brazil bring renewable energy policy and implementation into core city activities. In addition to Freiburg, Germany other model communities include:

• Betim, Brazil
• Bhubaneswar, India
• Bonn, Germany
• Cape Town, South Africa
• Coimbatore, India
• Malmö, Sweden
• Milan, Italy
• Nagpur, India
• Växjö, Sweden

Conferences in Freiburg and other places

Local Renewables is a series of events aimed to inform and mobilise many local governments and their partners about the potential of generating and using renewable energy at the local level, and how to best set-up and implement related policies.

The series began in June 2007 in Freiburg, Germany focusing on "Powerful local action for secure and sustainable energy in Europe".  The series is now expanding in two directions: annual conferences hosted in Freiburg, Germany, and additional events hosted in other localities- in order to reach out to as many local actors as possible.

Upcoming events

• Local Renewables Freiburg 2009
  This international conference will be held from the 27-29th of April 2009.

• Local Renewables in San Francisco
  July 2009 in California, USA.

• Local Renewables Freiburg 2010

Past events

Local Renewables 2007 took place from the 13-15th of June 2007 in Freiburg, Germany. Outcomes included, among others, the Freiburg Outreach and the eight key arguments for why local governments should implement renewable energy in their jurisdictions.

Conference programme

Local Renewables Freiburg 2009 addressed sustainable energy in the urban environment. Exciting strategies and implementation of renewable energy and energy efficiency were explored through various programme elements:

• Keynotes, plenaries and thematic workshops on Urban Policies and Planning - Green Buildings - Financing and Investment in Local Renewables

• The first conference on education for renewable energy (www.solarbildung2009.de; in German). An RE Campus brought researchers and university student together

• Study visits to exemplary projects - planning and implementing of RE and EE

• Planning workshops for practitioners organised by specialised partners (English and German)

• Poster exhibition on Local Renewables projects, community perspectives, and student activities.

Programme Details

Monday 27 April

Study Tours

• Sustainable City District Planning - Innovation Academy e.V.
• Solar energy research at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) - Fraunhofer ISE
• Business meets renewables - Solar Info Center
• Plusenergie-Konzepte - Rolf Disch Solar Architektur

Welcome from host city and Local Renewables partner

• Dr. Dieter Salomon, Lord Mayor, City of Freiburg and Member of the ICLEI Executive Committee, Freiburg, Germany

Plenary 1 - Conference opening

• Facilitator: Monika Zimmermann, Director, ICLEI's International Training Centre, Freiburg, Germany
• Gernot Erler, MdB, Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office, Berlin, Germany - (Local) Renewables as contribution to (global) security
• Dr. Monica Oliphant, President, International Solar Energy Society (ISES), Australia - The sustainable energy transition well under way
• Rolf Behringer, Director, Solare Zukunft e.V., Freiburg, Germany - From energy education to SUSTAINABLE energy education - a global challenge

Plenary 2 - Overview of Cutting Edge Developments

• Facilitator: Prof. Rolf C. Buschmann, Manager, Solar Info Center GmbH, Freiburg, Germany
• Prof. Dr. Volker Wittwer, Deputy Director, Fraunhofer Institute fro Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE), Freiburg Germany. - Energy efficient buildings and districts, including practical examples
• Dr. Jose Etcheverry, Chair of the World Council for Renewable Energy (WCRE), President of the Canadian Renewable Energy Alliance, and Assistant Professor, Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto, Canada - Energy policy - local, sustainable and clean energy solutions
• Dr. Eric Martinot, Senior Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies (ISEP), Tokyo, Japan - Urban policy and planning for the post-carbon age, including practical examples
• Dr. Bernd Dallmann, CEO, Freiburg Management and Marketing, Freiburg, Germany - What economic development can contribute to local sustainability

View the exhibition and posters

Reception hosted by the City of Freiburg

Tuesday 28 April

Plenary 3 -Local Renewables - a cornerstone of energy solutions for the future

• Facilitator: Stefan Gsänger, Secretary General, World Wind Energy Association (WWEA), Bonn, Germany
• Preben Maegaard, Director, Nordic Folkecenter for Renewable Energy, Chairperson, WCRE, Senior-Vice-president, EUROSOLAR, and President Emeritus, World Wind Energy Association (WWEA), Hurup Thy, Denmark - The development of IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency)
• Michaele Schreyer, author of the ERENE study and former EU Commissioner, Berlin, Germany - Starting the European Community for Renewable Energy (ERENE)
• Emani Kumar, Executive Director, ICLEI South Asia Secretariat, Noida/Delhi, India - Advanced cities - how model cities become beacons of RE

Plenary 4 -Local Renewables - city policies around the globe

• Facilitator: Paula Gabriela Freitas, ICLEI Latin America and Caribbean Secretariat, Sao Paulo, Brazil
• Erin Shapero, Municipal Councillor, Town of Markham, Canada - Address of Minister Smitherman
• Huang Ming, Board Chairman, Himin Solar Energy Group, City of Dezhou, China - China Solar Valley - renewable energy policy in China
• Geraldo Antunes, Secretary of Environment, City of Betim, Brazil - Local Renewables in Betim
• Emani Kumar, Executive Director, ICLEI South-Asia Secretariat, Noida/Delhi, India - The Indian Solar Cities programme

Plenary 5 -The promotion of Local Renewables in European cities

• Facilitator: Maryke van Staden, Coordinator of ICLEI's European Cities for Climate Protection^TM (CCP) Campaign
• Jonas Tolf, Unit for Energy and Climate, City of Stockholm, Sweden - Stockholm (European Green Capital 2010)
• James Michael Greatorex, Head of Pollution Control Section, Department of Environment and Planning, City of Oslo, Norway - Oslo
• Annette Egetoft, Senior Adviser, Environmental Department, City of Copenhagen, Denmark - Copenhagen
• Alex Minshull, Sustainable City Manager, Bristol City Council, United Kingdom - Bristol
• Franziska Breyer, Head of Bureau of the Deputy Mayor for Environment, Schools and Education, City of Freiburg, Germany - Freiburg
• Heinrich Bruns, Head of Office for Green Spaces and Environmental Protection, City of Münster, Germany - Münster
• Dr. Alexander von Vogel, Senior Advisor, Senator's Office for European Affairs and European Green Capital, Ministry of Urban Development and Environment, Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Germany - Hamburg (European Green Capital 2011)

Workshops Session A

A.1 Planning procedure and integration of RE into energy concepts

• Facilitator: Holger Robrecht, Director of Sustainability Management, ICLEI European Secretariat, Freiburg, Germany
• Babette Köhler, Director, Urban Development, City of Freiburg, Germany - Land-use planning and RE: an integrated approach
• Anders Franzén, Development Manager, City of Växjö, Sweden - Energy and districts in SESAC city Växjö
• Detlef Gerdts, Head of Unit, Department of Environmental Protection, City of Osnabrück, Germany - Sun Area: auto-calculation of roof-based PV potentials for an entire city

A.2 Step one - building standards

• Facilitator: Carolin Prettner, Planungsgruppe Buschmann, Freiburg, Germany
• Klaus Hoppe, Director, Head of Energy Department, Office of Environmental Protection, City of Freiburg, Germany - Communal building standards: Experience with local upgrading German building standards
• Thorsten Huff, Consultant, Makon GmbH & Co. KG, Stuttgart, Germany - Voluntary Certification: Can we learn from LEED^TM?
• Christian Neumann, Fraunhofer ISE, Freiburg, Germany - Continuous commissioning and building certification

A.3 Financing options for Local Renewables projects

• Facilitator: Sigrid Gand, Sterr-Kölln and Partner, Freiburg, Germany
• Ulrich Verkamp, Dexia Kommunalbank, Frankfurt am Main, Germany - Financing of large(r) Renewable Energy projects in turbulent times
• Anneke Mees, Triodos Bank, Frankfurt am Main, Germany - Eligibility criteria for financing renewable energy projects
• Andreas Markowsky, Director, Ökostromgruppe Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany - Raising equity funds - practical experience

Exhibition and posters

Networking reception at the Solar Info Center

Wednesday 29 April

Plenary 6 - Engaging the community

• Facilitator: Dr. Jose Etcheverry, Chair of the WCRE, Toronto, Canada
• Preben Maegaard, Director, Nordic Folkecenter for Renewable Energy; Chairperson, WCRE; Senior-Vice-president, EUROSOLAR; and President Emeritus, World Wind Energy Association (WWEA), Hurup Thy, Denmark - Giving communities new opportunities and support
• Carla Vollmer, Director of the Renewable Energy Unit, Federal Environmental Protection Agency, Berlin, Germany - 100% Communities - it works if all cooperate
• Dr. Dieter Salomon, Lord Mayor, City of Freiburg and member of the ICLEI Executive Committee, an Chair FWTM Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany - Freiburg in action: CO₂libri and citizen engagement

Workshops Session B

B.1 Towards 100% RE communities - How?

• Facilitator: Carla Vollmer, Director of the Renewable Energy Unit, Federal Environmental Protection Agency, Berlin, Germany
• Peter Vadasz, Mayor of Güssing, Austria and President, European Centre for Renewable Energy GmbH - Güssing
• Julia Walisch, Organiser of Cultural Events, Mill-Association Beckerich, Luxembourg - Beckerish - on the way to energy independence
• Dr Peter Moser, Sustainable Regional Development, Renewable Energy and Environment, deENet, Kassel, Germany - 100% RE Regions: examples and success factors

B.2 Design and construction of new buildings

• Jan Wienold, Franhofer ISE, Freiburg, Germany - Zero energy concepts for different climates
• Dr. Mohammad Salavati, Treasurer, Institute for Applied Information Systems, University of Karlsruhe, Germany - Building in a hot and dry climate
• Ursula Schneider, POS architekten, Vienna, Austria - Energy base in Vienna and Austrian embassy in Jakarta: two high effcienct green building examples in very different climate yones
• Meinhard Hansen, Freiburg, Germany - "Freiburg - Padua - Melbourne" housing concepts for different climate zones

B.3 Renovation of buildings and districts

• Facilitator: Prof. Rolf C. Buschmann, Manager, EnEd GmbH, Freiburg, Germany
• Joakim Nordqvist, Climate Strategist, Environmental Department, City of Malmö, Sweden - Sustainable Urban Regeneration
• Georg W. Reinberg, Architektbüro Reinberg, Vienna, Austria - Renovating precast concrete buildings in Eastern Europe
• Martin Ufheil, Solares Bauen Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany - Blaue Heimat and Laubenhof - results and experiences of energetic renovation
• Renate Bräu, Freiburger Stadtbau GmbH, Freiburg, Germany - Renovation of a social housing to passive housing standard, example from Freiburg

Plenary 7 - Accelerate now!

• Facilitator: Monika Zimmermann, Director, ICLEI International Training Centre, Freiburg, Germany
• Maryke van Staden, Coordinator of ICLEI's European Cities for Clomate Protectiontm™ Campaign  - Council of Mayors and the Climate Roadmap
• Virginia Sonntag-O'Brien, Executive Secretary, REN21-Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century, Paris, France - REN21 Renewables Global Status Report 2008: figures and trends for encouraging the local debates
• Monika Zimmermann, Director, ICLEI International Training Centre, Freiburg, Germany - 2009: International climate negotiations advancing Local Renewables

Conference results and next steps

Study Tours

• Rislerstraße 1-13, Modernisierung - Freiburger Stadtbau
• Pfizer Freiburg goes green - Company Pfizer
• Business meets Renewables - Solar Info Center
• Klimafreundliche und energiesparende Schule (UNESCO Projekt) - Wentz Solar

Hosts and Organisers

Freiburg, the solar hub of Germany

The City of Freiburg is internationally well-known for its environmental approach and its extensive use of solar energy and other renewable sources. This award-winning city is an exemplary and qualified host for this conference.

ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability

Freiburg is also the Host City of the ICLEI European Secretariat. ICLEI Europe works with more than 180 members - local governments committed to sustainable development. Through partnership with ICLEI, Freiburg is an active participant in the Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) Campaign and the Local Renewables Initiative (LRI). These two international ICLEI activities provide the foundation of the conference and will support the dissemination of outcomes.

Freiburg Wirtschaft Touristik und Messe (FWTM)

FWTM is an enterprise belonging to the city of Freiburg.  The extent of FWTM's work ranges from the promotion of trade and tourism, the hosting of congresses and conferences, trade shows, markets and major events.  FWTM uses its range of services to address the needs of the citizens and guests of Freiburg, the city and regional economy and the organisers of trade shows, congresses, conferences and cultural events.