Freiburg is located in southwest Germany, not far off from France and Switzerland, and is surrounded by hills and vineyards. The sun shines on average around 1800 h per year,[1] more often than anywhere else in Germany, which made it “Germany’s Sunshine Capital”.[2] It has long been a city known for its environmental consciousness and innovative urban planning.
Historical Background
Historically, Freiburg served as a market town and a hub for regional trade, with a foundation dating back to the year 1120. The city’s medieval core, including its famous Gothic cathedral, the Freiburger Münster, still stands as a testament to its rich past. Following World War II, parts of Freiburg were rebuilt, setting the stage for its evolution into a forward-thinking, eco-conscious city.[1]
Freiburg Today
Freiburg is an attractive student town, with many universities and research centers. These are important economic factors and job creators, thus contributing to the constantly growing population. Embedded in a beautiful landscape, close to the Black Forest (“Schwarzwald”), Lake Constance, and the Alps, Freiburg also offers a wide range of outdoor sports activities.
The city has a strong solar industry and research presence, including the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE. Freiburg is also home to international organizations like ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability and the International Solar Energy Society. Politically, it is a stronghold of The Greens party.
Many Freiburgers love cycling and recycling, so the Solarpunk spirit dwells within them.
Urban Projects Embracing Solarpunk Principles
Freiburg’s transformation into a great example of sustainable urban living began in earnest in the 1980s, driven by strong local opposition to nearby nuclear power plants (see also our article on “Fusion Energy: The Holy Grail of Clean Energy”, elaborating on the risks and hazards of nuclear fission power plants).[3] This catalyzed a shift towards renewable energy and ecological urban design. Key projects include:
Vauban District[4]
- Timeline: Construction began in 1998, with completion in phases over the 2000s
- Population: Approximately 5,500 residents
- Features: The district of Vauban is a car-reduced area, emphasizing solar power, energy-efficient housing (see also our article on low-energy houses), and green spaces. Cars must adhere to a speed limit of 30 km/h (about 19 mph) and give right of way to pedestrians and cyclists. The streets are designed to prioritize walking, cycling, and public transport, making it a highly sustainable and pedestrian-friendly neighborhood. All buildings are constructed to low-energy or passive house standards, and many are equipped with photovoltaic panels.
- Transportation: Residents primarily use bicycles, trams, and car-sharing services. A tram line directly connects Vauban to Freiburg’s city center.
- Costs: €120 million for infrastructure, with average housing costs of €1,500 per m² during initial development
Rieselfeld District[5]
- Timeline: Developed between 1993 and 2010, construction completed in 2012
- Population: Around 10,000 residents
- Features: Built on reclaimed sewage fields, Rieselfeld focuses on high-density, eco-friendly housing with ample green spaces and sustainable drainage systems. In order to avoid a too monotonous look, investors were restricted to building a maximum of 40 units each. Infrastructure and services included daycare centers and schools (from elementary school to high school), and around 1,000 jobs were created in Rieselfeld. The demographic mixture of young and old people, singles, families, landlords and tenants is ideal, creating a very attractive and buzzing community.
- Transportation: Like Vauban, Rieselfeld is well-connected by trams and cycle lanes
- Costs: The initial costs were 145 million euros, of which 85 million were offset by the sale of the site (which was owned by the city)
Solar Settlement (“Sonnenschiff”)[6]
- Timeline: Completed in 2006
- Features: The world’s first housing community with a positive energy balance, meaning it produces more energy than it consumes!
- Technology: Photovoltaic systems generate 445 kWh/m² annually
- Population: Home to about 60 families.
- Costs: €14 million project cost, including advanced photovoltaic systems
Regulations and Governance
Freiburg’s success is rooted in progressive building codes and incentives for renewable energy. Here a selection of major milestones:[3]
- Resolution on Waste Management: Introducing reusable packaging requirements in 1991
- Low-Energy Standards: The Freiburg Energy Saving Regulations (FEVS), introduced in 1992, require new constructions to meet strict energy efficiency criteria, which have been updated multiple times to align with Germany’s climate targets
- In 1994, Heliotrop became the world’s the first “Plus” energy house, producing more energy than it consumes[7]
- New climate protection target set in 2014: 50% less CO2 by 2030, climate neutrality by 2050
- 2019: Update of climate protection concept: 60% CO2 reduction by 2030, 100% reduction by 2050
- In 2021, Freiburg’s Municipal Council decided on a climate protection campaign, establishing a 120 million Euros Future Fund. This initiative raises the climate protection targets, aiming for Freiburg to become climate-neutral by 2038.
Transportation and Connectivity
Freiburg’s green transportation network is exemplary:
- Cycling: Approximately 250 km of dedicated bicycle streets or cycle lanes, with 34 % of trips inside of Freiburg city made by bicycle (29% by pedestrians, and only 17% by car)[8]
- Public Transport: Tram lines are the backbone of public transport. The tram network is highly popular due to low fares, offering unlimited transport in the city and surrounding areas. Event tickets for concerts and sports are also valid for public transport. 70% of the population live within 500 m of a tram stop, with trams running every 7–8 minutes.[1]
- Rail Links: Freiburg is a key long distance train hub on the Deutsche Bahn network, offering high-speed connections to Basel, Switzerland (40 minutes), Strasbourg, France (60 minutes), and Frankfurt, Germany (2 hours)
Hallmarks of Solarpunk in Freiburg
- The Solar Cycle Path (see article’s title picture): With a length of 300 m, this dedicated cycle track with a solar roof is expected to generate up to 280 MWh of electricity annually, which corresponds to the electricity consumption of about 180 people. It is equipped with 900 photovoltaic panels which form a continuous canopy for cyclists, protecting them from precipitation. It was officially inaugurated at the beginning of 2023 and is unique in Germany.[9]
- Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE): This world-leading research center has developed innovations like highly efficient photovoltaic cells and advanced energy storage systems for urban grids
- Green City Hotel Vauban: A sustainably built and operated hotel. More details at https://www.greencityhotel-vauban.de.
- Uniklinik Freiburg: The hospital complex integrates green roofs with solar arrays, producing 360 megawatt hours energy per year, reducing CO2 emission by 134 tons[10]
- Famous brooklets (“Bächle”) running through the old town: These little picturesque creeks were conceived in the middle ages to supply Freiburg with fresh water and water for the fire brigade. They also carried away rain and meltwater, thus preventing floods (see also our article on Sponge Cities). After their journey through the center, the water was used for irrigating fields.[11] Today, they cool down the air in summer and serve other, more crafty purposes such as cooling down drinks (see photo below) – besides being a tourist attraction.
Outlook
Freiburg aims to:
- Achieve climate neutrality by 2038, aligning with Germany’s national goals
- Expand renewable energy generation to cover 100 % of its electricity needs. The greatest renewable energy potential in the region is from photovoltaics: 3,000 gigawatt-hours per year (GWh/a) on roofs and facades, and 1,800 GWh/a from ground-mounted systems. The potential for wind power is approximately 3,000 GWh/a. As for heat generation, environmental heat stands out, with the potential for near-surface geothermal energy and ambient air amounting to 2,115 GWh/a, followed by deep geothermal energy with 400 GWh/a.[12]
- Further develop eco-districts like Dietenbach, which is planned to house 15,000 residents with net-zero energy consumption by 2035[13]
- Remain a global leader in sustainable urban planning and technological innovation
Summary
After World War II, with many parts of the original town destroyed, Freiburg has transformed into a thriving Solarpunk City with an increasing population. It has made remarkable strides in sustainability. The specific CO2 emissions from all sectors per capita in Freiburg have decreased from 11.76 tons in 1992 to 6.39 tons in 2020, corresponding to a reduction of 45.6 %.[14] Residents enjoy a high quality of life, with plenty of greenery, a vibrant old town, and a beautiful surrounding landscape. Many jobs have been created by investing in and implementing renewable energy technologies, launching and incorporating eco-friendly concepts and standards, and providing green buildings and efficient public transport infrastructure. Freiburg has walked the talk, set mid- to long-term goals, and produced tangible, quantifiable results, which have been transparently updated and shared via announcements, reports or websites. These achievements highlight the city’s commitment to a greener, more livable future for all.
Sources:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freiburg_im_Breisgau
[2] https://www.study-in-germany.de/en/germany/cities/freiburg/
[3] https://greencity.freiburg.de/pb/milestones.html
[4] https://www.freiburg.de/pb/,Lde/208732.html
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rieselfeld
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonnenschiff#:~:text=Sonnenschiff%20(%20lit.,the%20Solar%20Settlement%20at%20Schlierberg.
[7] https://www.rolfdisch.de/projekte/das-heliotrop/
[8] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radverkehr_in_Freiburg_im_Breisgau
[9] https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/baden-wuerttemberg/suedbaden/solarradweg-in-freiburg-eingeweiht-100.html
[10] https://www.uniklinik-freiburg.de/uniklinikum/zahlen-und-fakten/nachhaltigkeit/technik.html
[11] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freiburg_B%C3%A4chle
[12] https://www.freiburg.de/site/freiburg-2024/get/params_E-2113196521/2120313/2024_01_08%20Bericht_Energiebilanz_Region_Freiburg.pdf
[13] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietenbach_(Freiburg_im_Breisgau)#:~:text=6%20Einzelnachweise-,Lage,f%C3%BCr%20rund%2016.000%20Menschen%20entstehen.
[14] https://www.freiburg.de/site/freiburg-2024/get/params_E548774210/2059583/Bericht_Klimabilanz_Freiburg_2019_2020.pdf
