The study “Renewable Energy Projects in Lignite Mining Regions” was awarded as one of four projects of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy on structural change in lignite mining regions.
The study examines economic perspectives that can result from the increased use of different energy transition fields in the mining regions. The focus lies on the potentials and effects of the technologies photovoltaics (PV) and wind energy, also combined as PV wind hybrid systems. Potentials for PtX-technologies were also investigated. Furthermore, legal instruments to unlock these potentials and to increase regional participation when implementing renewable energy projects have been analyzed. Based on the potential analysis, a case study on Lusatia and the legal analysis, the project partners derived overarching recommendations for actions for all lignite mining regions as well as recommendations for instruments to be used by the actors on the different political levels.
In the case study for the Lusatian mining area, the IÖW assessed the regional economic potential of the transformation towards an energy transition region. An ambitious expansion of wind energy and photovoltaics, for instance, can result in around one thousand full-time jobs just within this field. Additional employment can be generated in other fields of the energy transition including the transport, heat, and electricity sector. The measures range from solar thermal energy, the energetic use of biomass to elements of sustainable mobility such as public transportation, car sharing, electric mobility and autonomous driving.
Specific measures are required as well as cooperation of the national, federal, and municipal level to exploit the technological and regional economic potential. Instruments should also be examined, that make it possible to specifically locate the renewable energy plants in the lignite mining regions
By taking appropriate measures to ensure the greatest possible regional economic participation, value creation and employment are to be maintained in the region and by this acceptance increased.
 

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