In the energy crisis, companies and municipalities in Brandenburg still have a high need for advice on energy-saving measures. According to the Brandenburg Energy Agency, there were 266 direct on-site consultations in the first eleven months of the year alone. For comparison: In the whole of 2021 there were 167 consultations.
“The topics of energy and resource efficiency are currently very much in demand with us,” says energy expert Sebastian Saule of the German Press Agency. In the past, a lot of persuasion was necessary, now the topic is a “real hit” in the crisis. The energy agency has been advising companies and municipalities on energy-saving options for more than 20 years. The agency is part of the Brandenburg Economic Development Agency (WFBB).
Among other things, she recommends that companies set up an energy management system. “This allows considerable savings to be made on heat and electricity,” explains WFBB Managing Director Saule. There are funding opportunities for a number of investments in buildings or systems engineering.
Small and medium-sized companies in particular would have a basis with a new ISO standard 50005 for energy management, explains Saule. These are international standards that are not mandatory for companies, but offer orientation. “This new ISO standard is so easily accessible that it is almost a matter of course for companies to deal with it,” he says. In addition, the topic of sustainability is playing an increasingly important role for consumers and is therefore also a sales argument.
However, the expert also concedes: The capacities for support are not so simple in terms of specialists and financing. An energy management system is also a financial issue for local authorities, but it has to be considered in the long term in order to include it in the next budget or to apply for funding. “Even in the medium term, cities and communities can save money through energy savings,” estimates Saule.
According to him, the energy agency’s offer for correct ventilation for all schools in Brandenburg is also of interest. So far, 300 schools have ordered the notices. “Correct heating and ventilation in the cold season can make a significant contribution to energy-saving building operation and thus has a direct effect on heating costs,” says Saule.
In addition to the energy efficiency measures, the experts see the further expansion of renewable energies in Brandenburg as an important step towards reducing dependence on energy imports. Expert Saule notes that sun, wind, geothermal energy and biomass have become the backbone of energy supply over the years. Per capita, Brandenburg is the national leader in terms of renewable energy in terms of wind energy, and the state is in second place when it comes to photovoltaics.
The energy agency of the WFBB also supports companies and municipalities in this area. One entry point is the Brandenburg Solar Atlas, in which anyone interested can find out about the potential of their roof or open space for photovoltaics or solar thermal energy. According to the Brandenburg Energy Agency, the portal has been accessed around 200,000 times since it went online in April.
