Strategy for energy transition
When it comes to eco-innovations, the world's sixth-smallest state is at the forefront, even by global standards Ms. Monauni, Liechtenstein is best known for its specialized, internationally networked financial center. However, the Principality also has a high level of industrialization. What makes the location so attractive for companies? Dirk Mewis
When you think of superlative countries, Liechtenstein doesn't necessarily come to mind immediately. However, when it comes to eco-innovations, the sixth-smallest country in the world is also very much at the forefront, even by global standards. For instance, the Principality has the world's largest share of photovoltaics per capita. Furthermore, Liechtenstein is also an important role model regarding sustainable energy policy. In 2003, the municipality of Triesen was the first to join the Energy City Association. Triesen was certified as an Energy City one year later. Ten years on, all eleven municipalities in the country have been awarded the label, and the Principality has been allowed to call itself "Energy Country" ever since.
Liechtenstein municipalities can obtain the Energy City label if they continuously ensure efficient energy use, increase investments for renewables, including solar energy, wind energy and hydropower, and promote environmentally compatible mobility. The certificate is awarded by the Energy City Sponsoring Association. Every four years, the municipality must submit itself to an audit to earn the label again. At 50 percent of the target achievement rate, a municipality receives the Energy City label; at 75 percent overall, it is awarded the Energy City Gold label. The goal is to lead all municipalities toward a sustainable, communal energy policy. By now, 100 percent of municipalities in Liechtenstein are Energy Cities.
Much potential in the mobility sector
Peter Kindle, who is in charge of communications, location marketing and business development in the municipality of Triesen, identifies the renovation of old buildings and the subsidization of various energy-saving measures as important components of the energy transition. In this context, he says, it is crucial to make people aware of the fact that they are doing good for the environment and climate, positively enhancing personal living spaces, as well as saving money. Kindle sees the area of transportation and the mobility behavior of individuals as key challenges for the future. At the same time, he thinks they might also be the greatest untapped potential: "We currently offer a car-sharing program with electric mobility. Possibly, in the medium term, we will manage to make one or the other fossil-fueled second or third car in households superfluous with this offer."
In the regular Energy City audits, a minimum of 75 percent of the target achievement rate is a prerequisite for carrying the Gold label. For several years already, Triesen has been just above this 75 percent threshold. With new programs focusing on procurement standards in administration, the further expansion of e-mobility and the continuous rise in energy-related building standards, the municipality is aiming for a 78 percent target achievement rate in the next audit. "Our municipality's energy accounting shows that we have already achieved the stricter 2030 standards in many areas with our broad-based supportive package of measures," Kindle notes. And "in terms of water consumption, we are already reaching for the targets defined for 2050," he adds.
Another Energy City with a Gold label
Mit Vaduz hat Liechtenstein jetzt eine weitere Energiestadt mit Gold-Label: „Viele, und vor allem kontinuierliche, Schritte waren notwendig, um betreffend Energieeffizienz und Nachhaltigkeit langfristig etwas zu verändern“, resümiert Manfred Bischof, Bürgermeister von Vaduz. Zu den Bausteinen des Goldlabels zählen unter With Vaduz, Liechtenstein now has another Energy City with a Gold label: "Many, and above all continuous, steps were necessary in order to make a long-term change regarding energy efficiency and sustainability," states Manfred Bischof, Mayor of Vaduz. The Gold label requires, among other things, recording all building-specific energy and water consumption, collecting data on the production of renewable energies, waste statistics and mobility indicators. Another requirement is energy accounting, which involves recording and evaluating the energy consumption of all municipal buildings and public lighting. According to Bischof, the municipality's electricity consumption per kilometer of street lighting decreased from 18,230 kilowatt hours per year to 5,129 kilowatt hours per year between 2009 and 2020. In addition, 8,725 square meters of municipal land were ecologically enhanced last year, he claims. Reducing CO2 emissions in transportation is the biggest future challenge, Bischof also believes. "There is a lot of potential in this area to become even more climate-friendly. Together, we must work on changing a lot of people's views fundamentally. They must move away from the idea of individual motorized transport and use more buses, trains and bicycles.“
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The article appeared in the 13 January, 2022 issue of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. The online article can be read here (german only).