Energiewende

The Rhineland-Palatinate sustainability strategy was first published in 2001. Since then it has been updated several times. The 2015 version of the Rhineland-Palatinate sustainability strategy brings together all the political strategies and approaches in favour of sustainable development and for the first time sets concrete goals for sustainable development in the state. These serve on the one hand to measure and evaluate the processes involved in moving towards sustainable development, and on the other hand, transparent represent the political will and can therefore contribute to orientation and better traceability for society. As well as presenting the challenges and goals in the different areas relevant to sustainable development, the sustainability strategy also a list of the advances achieved. These can be illustrated with statistical indicators on sustainable development.  Areas where there is a need for action are also made clear in this way in the sustainability strategy.

This working paper highlights the thematic field of “energy” and presents the challenges which occur in terms of territorial development for the Greater Region. It discusses the energy transition concept and focuses on energy systems and vectors, specifically the development of wind energy and the production of energy from biomass with regard to the development of fossil energy in Germany and France.

The state development program is a cross-departmental and intersectoral spatial framework that underpins the development of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The State Development Program (LEP IV) is titled “Recognizing Challenges – Acting Sustainably – Shaping the Future.” The program, which came into force in 2008, deals with issues such as public services and the development of spaces. In particular, it deals with the challenges of demographic change and globalization.

The guiding principles create the following fields of action:

• 1. Strengthen competitiveness:
  • 1.1 Develop metropolitan regions;
  • 1.2 Strengthen cooperation and networking of spaces;
  • 1.3 Support spaces with special structural needs;
  • 1.4 Secure infrastructure connectivity and mobility
• 2. Secure public services:
  • 2.1 Apply central-location systems consistently;
  • 2.2 Expand cooperation;
  • 2.3 Secure supply to sparsely populated rural areas;
  • 2.4 Secure accessibility
• 3. Strengthen and sustainably develop land use:
  • 3.1 Minimize spatial conflicts of use;
  • 3.2. Create large-scale linked open spaces;
  • 3.3 Design cultural landscapes;
  • 3.4 Reduce new land use;
  • 3.5 Sustainably manage the use of mineral resources and other underground uses;
  • 3.6 Sustainably use coastal and marine areas
• 4. Shape climate change and energy system transformation:
  • 4.1 Adapt spatial structures to climate change;
  • 4.2 Manage the expansion of renewable energies and grids