The failed energy transition of the small North Sea island of Pellworm

The small island of Pellworm, idyllically located in the North Sea, was originally supposed to become a flagship project for the German energy transition. Those responsible wanted to demonstrate here, that it is possible to supply an entire region independently and completely with renewable energy. The focus was on the goal of electricity from wind power andto set photovoltaic systems. This ambitious project was supported by numerous prominent politicians who wanted to present Pellworm as a prime example of sustainable energy supply.

Big goals and ambitious plans

The energy transition has been the declared goal for years, and politicians were looking for success stories to legitimize the conversion to renewable energies. The island of Pellworm offered to make visible the abundant potential of wind and solar energy in the north and to serve as a model for other regions. The hope was the energy gained on Pellworm throughManage innovative storage methods in such a way that it is also available in windless or sun-free times. In a way, Pellworm could have served as a magnifying glass, so to speak, that shows the feasibility of the energy transition under real conditions. There was also a euphoric mood of optimism that not only affected the islanders, but also observers across the country. pelwormshould become a symbol for the entire energy transition – at best even worldwide.

Reality: between euphoria and disillusionment

After just a few years, however, it became apparent that reality could not live up to the great expectations. Although the goal of full self-sufficiency with renewable energies initially seemed promising, the project has now moved far from its original claim. Most of the stakeholders and partners involved have taken up other tasks andThe high promises were not kept. The island in which so many hopes and considerable financial resources have been invested is left behind – with disappointed expectations and unresolved problems.

Production and consumption: An unbalanced relationship

In fact, the wind turbines, the biogas plant and the photovoltaic systems on Pellworm today generate a multiple of the electricity actually required. Energy production exceeds the islander’s own consumption by three times, and this surplus continues to grow. The largest electricity consumers on the island are the swimming pool and farms. about theExpensive battery storage was installed, supplemented by smaller decentralized storage in private households. Originally, these systems were supposed to ensure that Pellworm remains completely self-sufficient every day of the year. But this goal was missed.

Technical obstacles and economic problems

Despite the extensive investment in storage technologies, Pellworm often experienced power failures in practice. As a result, not only the private power supply, but also agricultural production kept still, since, for example, milking machines did not work without electricity. In order to achieve real self-sufficiency, the number of battery storage would havehave to be multiplied – which would have meant enormous additional costs. Existing systems were suffering from defects: sensors failed, air conditioning systems failed to cool the storage facilities, so that even the existing capacities were often not usable. However, the realization that despite the high investments, not a single one, was particularly painful for the islanders.Workplace on Pellworm was created.

Value added on the mainland – island is left out

Another problem was revealed in the distribution of value creation: The craftsmanship in the construction of the plants was provided by companies on the mainland. Software development and data analysis took over partners such as the University of Aachen or the Fraunhofer Institute. The projects hardly brought any economic benefits for the Pellwormers themselves. The ones that were once installed in their homesElectricity storage and modern meters have now been largely removed. The profits from energy production and processing flow to companies and communities on the mainland, while Pellworm continues to be one of the poorest regions of Schleswig-Holstein. The island is struggling with problems that remind of a developing country’s challenges: raw materials and energy arepresent, but value creation takes place elsewhere, and the economic situation remains precarious.

Structural change and demographic crisis

The structural change on Pellworm is clearly visible. Of the former several dozen farms, only a few remain, many of them find no successor. The population is aging, young people are migrating and there is a risk that the island will continue to become deserted or even die out in the coming years. The energy transition has not solved the island’s problemsStill new perspectives opened up – on the contrary, in some respects the situation has even become more difficult.

Limits of self-sufficiency and unresolved memory issue

In addition, the project was focused on the power supply from the start. Important areas such as heat supply – i.e. heating and hot water – as well as the mobility of the islanders were simply excluded from the planning. The promise of complete self-sufficiency was therefore not tenable from the start. The large-scale storage of electricity has in practiceproved to be technically and economically difficult to implement. The electricity generated must not only be produced reliably, but above all must be stored in the long term. This results in high losses, especially when hydrogen is stored, after conversion processes, only a fraction of the original energy remains. Battery storage is not only expensive to buy, butcause high maintenance and replacement costs. In addition, there are ongoing expenses for the operation and maintenance of the wind and solar systems.

Disillusionment after the failure of the vision

In summary, it can be stated that the ambitious energy project on Pellworm was unable to fulfill the hopes set in it. The costs for the permanent operation and maintenance of the systems would have exceeded any economic measure. Most of the installations have since been dismantled, and it is unlikely that anyone would be willing to pay the enormous follow-up costs.to wear permanently. What remains is the realization that technical innovations alone are not enough to realize a sustainable and fair energy transition – and that regional projects, such as on Pellworm, often fail because of the complex economic and social realities.