A slim majority vote from the town council has seemingly ended aspirations for a geothermal heating venture in Dangerous Bevensen in Decrease Saxony, Germany.
With a slender majority vote of 13-12, the town council of Dangerous Bevensen in Decrease Saxony, Germany has voted in opposition to the continuation of the deliberate geothermal heating venture. The detrimental votes argued that the EUR 29 million value of the venture is just too excessive for the town, contemplating that income are solely anticipated after 20 years.
This disheartening outcome comes as a shock for a venture that has constructed seemingly optimistic momentum via the final years. In 2023, Dangerous Bevensen was one in all two municipalities that had been chosen by the State of Decrease Saxony to obtain a conditionally repayable grant for a geothermal pilot venture. In 2024, a brand new firm was based to guide the geothermal improvement efforts, referred to as Renewable Energies Dangerous Bevensen GmbH (Erneuerbare Energien Dangerous Bevensen GmbH).
With this choice, the corporate should now undergo a liquidation course of.
Seismic surveys for the venture had been deliberate in 2025 in anticipation of take a look at drilling. Nevertheless, this had not but been commissioned.
“It was a troublesome choice and I need to reiterate that we’re basically in favor of geothermal power. Simply not beneath these circumstances. We are actually glad,” mentioned Bernd Peter of the FDP/Großmann group.
“We evaluated and mentioned the venture for a very long time. Now a venture price tens of millions has been averted,” added Sönke Strampe, chairman of the CDU parliamentary group, additional stating that the venture isn’t worthwhile and that renewable power venture nonetheless should be viable.
Counter-proposal additionally rejected
A proposal was offered throughout the dialogue that can assist lower the monetary burden and danger for the town. This may contain two traders doubtlessly becoming a member of the venture, taking on 49% of the corporate. Metropolis Director Martin Feller mentioned that there was no signature but from these potential traders, however there was a agency dedication to take part.
Nevertheless, the proposal didn’t change the place of the CDU and the FDP/Großmann group on the venture.
“[This is because] two potential traders (together with an professional power provider) lately expressed their willingness to hitch the corporate and promised an entire warmth provide for all the city. Nevertheless, they want a number of months to make a remaining dedication to evaluation the info already out there and the funding choices,” in line with an announcement from the SPD faction.
The SPD and the Greens are nonetheless campaigning for the venture to proceed, even beneath the phrases of the compromise proposal. “If we again out now, we’ll deprive residents of the chance to have an inexpensive power provide,” mentioned Katja Schaefer-Andrae from the Greens.
“However I don’t perceive how one can jeopardize such a novel alternative,” added Michael Chales de Beaulieu.
Supply: Bundesverband Geothermie, SPD Bevensen, and AZ On-line (1 and 2)
