In the 1990s, the small Bavarian town of Wildpoldsried decided to embrace renewables. Today, it produces several times the energy it consumes and has become a testing ground for future smart grid technologies, as Laurie Guevara-Stone notes. A small German town in southern Bavaria is participating in an interesting experiment proving that a high-renewables future is viable. Wildpoldsried (pop. 2,600) currently produces 500 percent more energy than it needs through renewable energy systems, and sells the surplus power back to the grid. Though this is celebrated as a huge success in many circles, it’s not without its challenges, including how to integrate such a large local surplus of renewable energy into the greater grid while maintaining network stability. Which is why regional utility AÜW and Siemens chose Wildpoldsried to test out a smart grid that automatically stabilizes the power network. Becoming prosumers The story began in 1997, when Wildpoldsried mayor Arno Zengerle and the city council decided they wanted to revitalize the community and encourage growth without incurring debt. The town adopted the Innovative Leadership … Continue reading A small town in Germany becomes a testing ground for a smart grid