From left: Frank Ostertag (chairman of the board of the Volksbank Wildeshauser Geest), Carlo Reeker (BWE), mayor Ralf Spille, Axel Schwengels (director of Genossenschaftsverband Weser-Ems), Hermann Raschen (managin director VR Energieprojekte Dötlingen) und Ubbo de Witt (managing director Projekt GmbH). source: Kreiszeitung Dötlingen, picture: Anja Rottmann
The aspect of local value creation featured prominently in all of the keynote speeches, which isn't surprising as it was present everywhere during this inauguration celebration. With reference to the 150 citizens involved in this community wind farm, Frank Ostertag, the chairman of the board of the local cooperative bank, Volksbank Wildeshauser Geest, quoted the historical adage of the cooperative bank founding fathers: "What one individual cannot achieve alone can be achieved by many people together". The cooperative banks "are here on the ground, taking responsibility for the region; this is regional value creation in the best sense."
Carlo Reeker, Managing Director of the German Wind Energy Association (Bundesverband WindEnergie), praised the "regional value chain" in both wind farms and at the same time warned against the further political support of the "dirtiest form of energy generation: lignite". In order to achieve climate protection goals and prevent the increasingly visible dramatic effects of climate change he does not "know any alternative to regenerative energies".
Ubbo de Witt, managing director of the Projekt group of companies (Projekt Firmengruppe), emphasises that the longstanding cooperation with the property owners' interest group is a key element for successfully repowering the Hengsterholz community wind farm. According to him, projects such as these are the basis for the regional success of the energy turnaround, along with the associated creation of value with a share of more than 80% of renewables in the EWE grid area today. This is "our contribution toward making the world a little better“. After all, what is the alternative? He said that just the day before he had been reminded of how international conflicts are linked to money transfers from traditional energy production. In a discussion with her Afghan correspondent, Roland Strumpf, Marietta Slomka of the German television news program "Heute Journal" tries to shed light on the background of another attack in Afghanistan. The correspondent is very clear: "The coalition of the Taliban and the IS, financed by Saudi Arabia, is waging a proxy war against the Shiites financed from Iran. This is an extremely scary situation."
Ubbo de Witt said: "Every German citizen pays more than €1,100 per year for imported oil, gas and coal. So we have every reason to keep pushing the transition to renewables in all areas, from energy and transportation to e-mobility to intelligent control and networking."
Projekt GmbH
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