Project to combine PV and Energy-Efficiency «Double Dividend»

Freiburg, August 2018. Energy-efficiency is a main pillar of the German energy transition. This is why Büro Ö-quadrat is working on a joint pilot project with Öko-Institut and green energy supplier Elektrizitätswerken Schönau (EWS), which aims to use the saving results from energy-efficiency measures in household to invest in PV installation. This concept leads to double benefits for households and the climate.

The project concept: At the beginning of the project, selected households receive an intensive energy consultation. This consultation includes advice on how to save electricity and hot water as well as installation of water-saving aerators, LED-lamps and other low-cost energy-saving devices. The saved energy bill will be invested in a joint PV project, which generates green electricity. The revenue of the PV-system will be paid back to the households. Therefore, both the households and the climate profit from the project

There is no additional cost to the households, they will pay the same amount in monthly electricity bill as before. The PV-system is entirely financed by the saving from the energy-efficiency measures. After a three-year contract period, the household will continue to profit from the energy saving and the annual return of the PV-system. The climate profits too as less electricity is consumed and more renewable energy is produced. That's why the benefits are twofold

The pilot project comprises 100 households and is expected to save 170.000 kWh electricity over a three-year period. This corresponds to approximately 14% of the household electricity consumption. The PV-systems financed by the electricity saving are expected to produce 580.000 kWh electricity over their lifetime. A precise study about the climate impact will follow during the course of the project.

The project is financed by the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU). The DBU General Secretary Alexander Bonde praised the double benefits of the project: “Thanks to the energy saving, less electricity needs to be produced and at the same time, the renewable energy generation is strengthened”.