- The “New West City Climate Quarter” has opened
The lighthouse project in the west of the city of Esslingen was inaugurated last Tuesday (June 22nd) with an attractive event. Prominent guests from federal, state, and local politics, as well as representatives from the economy and the press, were convinced of the innovative energy concept of the almost climate-neutral “Klimaquartier Neue Weststadt”.
In the early afternoon, the city and the project consortium invited people to the quarter to kick off the event. As part of an effective hygiene concept, the participants were able to get a picture of the technology network that makes the “Klimaquartier Neue Weststadt” an outstanding nationwide urban quarter: from the fully solarised roof areas to the energy center as the heart of the project to the electric hybrid buses from the municipal transport company Esslingen (SVE) gave those present a detailed overview of the central cornerstones of the nationwide lighthouse project.
The participants, including State Secretary Andreas Feicht from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, were particularly impressed by the two electrolyzer units, which are a special distinguishing feature of the climate quarter: the production of green hydrogen taking place here in an urban environment is so far unique in Germany. The operating company “Green Hydrogen Esslingen” is based on the expertise of the energy supplier Polarstern (Munich), the Esslingen municipal utilities, and the project manager Prof. Manfred Norbert Fisch from siz energieplus.
“Anyone who has followed the development of the Neue Weststadt over the past few years knows what commitment is involved in this project against the background of municipal climate protection,” said Mayor Dr. Jürgen Zieger during the event. “We are happy and proud that we have succeeded in integrating such an innovative energy concept into this important development project in the city of Esslingen in terms of urban planning,” emphasized Mayor Zieger.
Project leader Prof. Manfred Norbert Fisch made it clear: “The path to climate neutrality can only lead through a solar hydrogen economy. In the Klimaquartier Neue Weststadt we can show that this technology can also be successfully integrated into building projects at the municipal level and thus contribute to the necessary energy transition. “The federal government is promoting this”
Following the on-site meeting, the venue was changed: the participants of the inauguration event continued to the Neckar Forum in one of the SVE’s electric hybrid buses. After a welcome from OBM Dr. Zieger and greetings by the representatives of the two funding agencies, State Secretary Andreas Feicht (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy) and Ministerial Director Oda Keppler (Federal Ministry for Education and Research), followed by further explanations of the lighthouse project through lectures, film material and a moderated stage discussion. This part of the event could also be followed by the public via Livestream. A recording of the event as well as other documentation will be available on the project website of the “Klimaquartiers Neue Weststadt” in the next few days.
Background: On the grounds of the Neue Weststadt in Esslingen am Neckar, an urban showcase district with 450 apartments, office, and commercial space, as well as a new building for the Esslingen University of Applied Sciences, is being built on an area of 100,000 square meters . The site of the old freight yard will become a research district and lighthouse project: by 2022, the new, innovative “New West City Climate Quarter” will be built here. The basis for the almost climate-neutral operation of the quarter is an innovative energy supply concept, the heart of which is the production and use of green hydrogen in the middle of the quarter. The realization of the climate quarter is an important building block for the achievement of the municipal climate protection goals of the city of Esslingen.
Source: City of Esslingen
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