Energy use of renewable raw materials; information and advice

Renewable raw materials are playing an increasingly important role in sustainable energy supply. Electricity and heat from renewable raw materials are making a growing contribution to meeting the demand for energy.

Counties and cities not part of a county provide citizens with comprehensive advisory services, in some cases through local energy agencies. “LandSchafftEnergie” (landschafftenergie@tfz.bayern.de) is an initiative of the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development, and Energy that provides information and advice on implementing the energy transition in rural areas. As part of “LandSchafftEnergie,” a series of informational events titled “Wärmewende mit Holz” (“Heat Transition with Wood”) is held annually during the heating season to provide information on “heating with wood,” with a focus on the use of wood for heat generation.

Various individual measures for the energetic use of renewable raw materials can be funded.

Important regulations on the use of renewable raw materials for energy:

• Electricity
  The Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) regulates the market access requirements and the compensation that operators of wind power, hydropower, photovoltaic, geothermal, and biomass plants for the electricity they feed into the utility grid. Grid operators are required to purchase electricity from plants that use renewable energy sources and to pay the prices determined through competitive bidding processes and the established remuneration rates. In the field of bioenergy, the EEG is particularly important for operators of biogas plants, biomethane plants, and wood-fired cogeneration plants. The Biomass Ordinance specifies which materials are recognized as biomass within the scope of the EEG.

• Heat
  

  The Act on Energy Conservation and the Use of Renewable Energy for Heating and Cooling in Buildings (Building Energy Act—GEG) aims to significantly increase the share of renewable energy in final energy consumption for heating and cooling, while ensuring economic viability. Newly installed heating systems in new development areas must cover at least 65% of their annual heating demand with renewable energy. Longer transition periods apply to existing buildings and new buildings on vacant lots; the requirement takes effect once a municipal heating plan is in place—no later than June 30, 2026, in large municipalities, and no later than June 30, 2028, in smaller municipalities. The law permits various technical methods to meet the 65% requirement (e.g., heat pumps, connection to a district heating network, solar thermal systems, biomass, or green gases). There are exceptions and hardship provisions for the 65% renewable energy requirement. In addition, as part of the Federal Funding Program for Efficient Buildings (BEG), grants are provided for the purchase of heating systems based on renewable energy sources, including wood and wood pellet heating systems—even in the form of hybrid heating systems combined with other energy sources. Bavaria supports the construction of biomass heating plants with a rated thermal output of at least 60 kilowatts, as well as the construction and expansion of associated heating networks, through the BioWärme Bayern funding program.

• Fuels
  The Federal Immission Control Act (Sections 37a–g BImSchG) regulates greenhouse gas reduction in fuels. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, fuels derived from renewable raw materials, biowaste, and residues (biofuels) are blended into fossil fuels, for example. Conventional diesel fuel, for example, contains up to 7 percent biodiesel. Conventional gasoline contains up to 5 percent (Super E5) or up to 10 percent (E10) bioethanol. In addition, pure fuels (e.g., vegetable oils, rapeseed oil, HVO100) are also used. The use of pure fuels is generally not possible in conventional engines. The engine’s combustion technology must first be adapted to the fuel’s properties. The engine manufacturer must approve this. The Tenth Ordinance Implementing the Federal Immission Control Act (10. BImSchV) regulates the composition and quality of motor fuels and combustibles. The Thirty-Eighth Ordinance Implementing the Federal Immission Control Act (38. BImSchV) establishes additional provisions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from fuels.

This also includes wood chip, pellet and other wood-fired heating systems, which are relevant in private homes. This is where the energy advice provided by the consumer advice center comes in.

The energy advice provided by the consumer advice center is only aimed at private individuals.

You will find the following links under further links:

• Climate protection in the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen
• Integrated climate protection concept for the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen
• Energy transition Oberland
• Energy advice from the consumer advice center

• Act on Protection against Harmful Environmental Impacts from Air Pollution, Noise, Vibrations and Similar Processes (Federal Immission Control Act - BImSchG)
• First Ordinance on the Implementation of the Federal Immission Control Act (Ordinance on Small and Medium-Sized Combustion Plants - 1 BImSchV)
• Tenth Ordinance on the Implementation of the Federal Immission Control Act (Ordinance on the Characteristics and Designation of the Quality of Fuels and combustibles - 10th BImSchV)
• Thirty-eighth Ordinance on the Implementation of the Federal Immission Control Act (Ordinance on the Specification of Further Provisions for the Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Fuels - 38th BImSchV)
• Act on the Expansion of Renewable Energies (Renewable Energy Sources Act - EEG)
• Ordinance on the generation of electricity from biomass (Biomass Ordinance - BiomasseV)
• Energy Tax Act (EnergieStG)
• Act on Energy Conservation and the Use of Renewable Energies for Heating and Cooling in Buildings (Building Energy Act - GEG)

• Subsidy product "Renewable energies - standard"
• Promotion of heat generation systems as part of federal funding for efficient buildings
• Energy subsidies from the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs
• LandCreatesEnergy
• Climate protection in the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen - Topic page

  Overview of climate protection activities in the district

• Integrated climate protection concept for the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen

  By drawing up a climate protection concept, the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen aims to improve its climate protection policy activities together with its municipalities and thus fulfill its role as a role model and central driving force for the development and implementation of climate protection measures in the region. The overall aim of the integrated climate protection concept is to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions in the district.

• Energy transition Oberland

  Energiewende Oberland is one of the largest community foundations for the energy transition in Germany. Its members are the four districts of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Miesbach and Weilheim-Schongau and numerous municipalities, organizations, companies and citizens of the Oberland region. Energiewende Oberland supports and advises on the goal of increasing energy efficiency and supplying the region entirely with renewable energies by 2035.

• Energy advice from the consumer advice center

  Rising energy prices, dwindling resources, the impact on the climate and the environment: there are plenty of reasons to use energy sparingly and efficiently. We will show you various ways to save energy, protect resources and save money. You will also find out everything you need to know about electricity consumption, heating technology, insulation and renewable energies.