In the late 1990s, the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt initiated a funding program for the introduction of solar energy in parishes. The unexpected high response contributed clearly to enlarge the acceptance of solar energy in Germany. 714 parishes received a funding for solar heating systems, and the number of communities that are committed in the field of solar energy has grown to over 1,000.

The exceptionally positive experience from the German program was transferred to the Czech Republic. A joint project of FEST Heidelberg in cooperation with the Orthodox Academy Vilémov led to the implementation of 30 solar thermal systems for different facilities in Czech parishes.

The same approach was followed by selected church institutions of the Lutheran town of Wittenberg. By saving energy, increasing energy efficiency and using more renewable energies carbon emissions have been notably reduced. At the same time an environmental management system has been established for all buildings of the Evangelical Church of the Romanian city of Sibiu.

In September 2009, a two-year project of FEST Heidelberg and the Swedish organization Etik & Energi was launched. Its goal: European church partnerships promote climate protection. Under the auspices of the European Christian Environmental Network (ECEN) successful environmental projects were to be transferred from one country to another. Besides German and Swedish churches also parishes in Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Britain and Denmark are involved.


Project Operation
Forschungsstätte der Evangelischen Studiengemeinschaft e. V. (FEST)
Institut für interdisziplinäre Forschung
Schmeilweg 5
69118 Heidelberg
Telefon 06221|91220
Telefax 06221|167257
info@fest-heidelberg.de
www.fest-heidelberg.de

Ref. 21215, 23833, 27015