Lübeck in the energy transition dilemma: Citizens are calling for more action!

Lübeck in the energy transition dilemma: Citizens are calling for more action!

Lübeck, Deutschland - A nationwide survey on sustainability commissioned by the Lübeck municipal utilities reveals sobering results. When surveying 10,000 citizens, only two percent stated that they perceived the municipal municipal utilities as the essential drivers of the energy transition. Jens Meier, CEO of Stadtwerke Lübeck, found that these institutions were not the loudest, but decisive actors in the development of sustainable energy supply.

Meier emphasized the importance of the municipal utilities for the heat transition and the expansion of power nets. These developments are necessary for the construction of storage, the laying of district heating lines and the expansion of electromobility. The survey showed that 37 percent of the respondents demand the expansion of local public transport as the most important measure to improve sustainability. In the fifth place is the promotion of CO₂-neutral heat supply with 23 percent of the vote.

climate protection and citizens' interest

The survey also shows that a clear majority of 54 percent of Germans refuse to spend more money on environmentally friendly products or services. In politics, too, fears of financial burdens can be felt. 44 percent of the municipal managers and 54 percent from the private sector reject higher expenses. Janina Mütze from Civey explains the decline in climate protection with the concerns of people about the costs of the energy transition.

in Lübeck are urgent because less than one percent of private and public buildings have so far been renovated energetically. Mayor Jan Lindenau demands a renovation rate of two percent to achieve the necessary changes. By 2040, 54,000 buildings are to be heated without gas and oil. Currently over 80 percent of the buildings come from a time when no efficient insulation was yet known. At the moment Lübeck needs around 2.5 billion kilowatt hours for heating, industry and services, with 75 percent of the energy from natural gas.

energy requirements and reduction targets

Due to the necessary conversion, the energy requirement could be reduced by a third to 1,645 gigawatt hours by 2040, provided that two percent of the residential buildings are renovated an annual renovation. The mayor emphasizes that energy savings play a crucial role; He mentions the exchange of street lighting as an example.

The heat turnaround, which is seen as the largest lever for Lübeck, is particularly important in order to become climate -neutral by 2040. The planned green district heating is expected to cover 60 percent of the heat requirement in 15 years, but this proportion is currently only 11 percent. In order to achieve this goal, kilometers of lines must be laid, the construction sites of which have to be carefully coordinated in order not to affect the traffic in Lübeck.

In addition to the heat transition, the choice of means of transport also plays an important role in reducing CO₂ emissions. Different means of transport have different effects on the climate. Emission -free alternatives include running and cycling, while flying and driving with fossil combustion engines are a strong burden on the environment. Politicians have the task of promoting climate -friendly mobility and making them attractive in order to change the traffic behavior of citizens.

For further information on the surveys and developments in the field of climate protection, you can see the complete reports at , SPIEGEL and WWF Energy transition dashboard .