Space is often a hotly contested resource, especially in densely populated areas. ‘Multi-use’ approaches offer a simple, efficient, and inclusive way to overcome space scarcity by using a single area for several uses. One such multi-use approach is the utilisation of otherwise unused areas around electricity grids and renewables for community gardens, urban farming, and community cultural activities. This can benefit the well-being and cohesion of local communities, support biodiversity, and increase social acceptance of energy transition infrastructure.
In this webinar on Thursday 19th October, 15:30 - 17:00 CEST, we spotlighted three initiatives from Germany, Brazil, and the United States which bring local citizens onto the land around grids and solar panels to participate in activities related to horticulture, education, entertainment and more. We discussed with experts how they came to set up such initiatives and discover the myriad fruits they are bearing.
The speakers joining us were:
- Rolf Meier - an education expert and founder of a local social action initiative, Agenda Hürth in North-Rhein Westphalia (Germany) which runs 20 ecological and social projects, including a thriving community garden underneath HV powerlines.
- Johanna Meier - Senior Expert for the Future of Energy Supply at the German Energy Agency (dena), where she leads projects on better stakeholder engagement, offshore renewable energy systems and strategic planning.
- Hans Christian Temp - Cidades sem Fome (Cities without hunger): This Brazilian NGO develops sustainable agricultural projects in unused urban areas (often underneath power lines), thus creating job opportunities and healthy food for disadvantaged communities in large cities.
- Byron Kominek - Owner and Manager of Jack’s Solar Garden: Jack’s is a 4-acre, 1.2 megawatt solar agrivoltaics farm based in Colorado. It is a family-owned social enterprise and renowned centre for research, community engagement and cultural activities.
After the presentations, we held an open Q&A round for 30 minutes. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Liam Innis, Manager – Energy Ecosystems.
