Over the past 14 years, the Bavarian village of Wildpoldsried has undergone a remarkable transformation. It all started with the election of a new mayor in 1997: upon taking office, the local government sent a survey to its residents asking them how they would like to see their community improve. The 2,500 residents of the agricultural village came back with an extensive wish list, including the construction of a new sports hall, school, theatre, pub, retirement facility – and all whilst remaining ecologically sound and not sending the modest farming village into debt.

Undaunted, Mayor Arno Zengerle and his council came up with a mission statement – Wildpoldsried Innovativ Richtungsweisend (Leadership), or WIR-2020 – with three main aims: renewable energy installation and energy saving measures; ecological construction; protection of water and ecological wastewater disposal. American Christie Allen, who works in the biogas industry and gives tours of the village in English, explains: “It just so happened that because the EEG law [Germany’s Renewable Energy Sources Act] was just coming into effect, it was like a light bulb went off: ‘Aha! Here’s an opportunity to start getting money!’ They’re very wise and conservative with money and so they basically spreadsheeted all of the cost benefits of investing in solar panels and realised: ‘Well, this is a really good idea – let’s put them on all of our buildings.’”

But cladding municipal buildings in solar photovoltaics (using local firms to keep money and taxes within the village coffers) was just the start. Inspired by the council’s encouragement, local resident Wendelin Einsiedler garnered support amongst his friends and neighbours and formed a civic society to lead the way for renewables investment in Wildpoldsried. Thanks to the society’s investment and a small grant, the village erected its first two windmills in 1999; two more followed in 2001; and a fifth went up in 2008. Together, the windmills create 12 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity and have resulted in an eight to 10 per cent return on investment for the community supporters.

And Einsiedler wasn’t the only one to put forward ideas for energy independence; other governmentencouraged moves included the installation of four anaerobic digesters on some of the village’s many dairy farms. Together, the digesters produce more than 400,000 kWh of energy – both electricity and heat – per year. Allen explains that the farmers treat slurry mixed with plant and grass silage, not municipal organic waste: “Organic waste like food scraps is handled differently. The farmers in our region find that food waste is not a very high-quality way to produce biogas.” Residents are required by law to home compost and those organics that are thrown out either wind up in the municipal combined heat and power (CHP) incinerator (local landfills closed years ago) or in a regional biogas plant which produces 1.75 million kWh of electricity and 3.2 million kWh of heat a year.

In 2005, the village also installed a CHP district heating system that runs on wood pellets. The boiler itself is located in the basement of the community hall, and surplus biogas from farms is fed into the network. Municipal buildings were the first to be connected to the network, and then citizens could pay for expansion to their residences. To date, 42 buildings are connected to the system, including two commercial operations and 25 private homes.

All in all, the village of Wildpoldsried generates 31,956 MWh of energy per year, 317 per cent more than it needs, which generates €4 million for the community. The village’s economy is booming, as small businesses have sprung up to sell, install and service technologies, and, yes, the villagers have seen many of their demands met: Mayor Zengerle and his council have built nine new community buildings over the past 14 years, including the school, gym and community hall, without going into debt. And it doesn’t stop there. Other (already achieved) environmental successes include a natural wastewater system and an impressive 65 per cent recycling rate. Carbon dioxide emissions have been reduced by more than 65 per cent since the start of the projects, and village officials expect that figure to rise to 125 per cent by 2012. Coming up, the village will participate in an electric car smart grid project, as well as a trial that seeks to convert wind and solar energy to biogas. Eco-energy tourism is in full swing, and Wildpoldsried has inspired neighbouring areas to follow its lead: the Oberallgau? region recently decided to achieve 70 per cent renewable energy by 2022.

And should our Chancellor decide not necessarily to lead, but to follow this community’s example of stimulating the economy through renewable energy, what does he need to know? Allen suggests: “When you have a government that gives you the green light and creates funding opportunity, the entrepreneurs will come; the drive and the incentive is there already – people want to go greener – so it’s a partnership between politics and people in business.” And councilman Gu?nter Mögele, part of the local government that’s been pushing change for the past 14 years, confirms: “As soon as people realise that this is not only good for the environment but also for their budget, more and more will participate. And then you need some pioneers who are ready to invest money and power.”