On April 27, 2024, the German Wind Power Museum in Stemwede-Oppendorf hosted the so-called “Renewable Energy Day.” The reason for this is that this day commemorates the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Numerous events related to this topic are taking place throughout Germany, including at the German Wind Power Museum. The museum is supported by a non-profit association, which, as every year, organized several speakers who provided an informative supporting program with their specialist presentations.

After the welcome address, architect and civil engineer Andreas Hennemann opened the event by reporting on the planning and use of a so-called plus-energy district. In the second presentation, energy consultant Sahard Agam from Rahden explained the Building Energy Act, which came into force on January 1, 2024. Project manager Knuth Nolting spoke about the sensible use of a PV system. Project manager Yasar Keser from Bremen demonstrated how water is broken down into its components in an electrolyzer, which, in conjunction with a battery storage system, provides a sustainable solution for storing electricity from renewable energies.

Wilfried Winkelmann guided visitors through the museum grounds and provided some fascinating insights into the history of wind energy technology, which is vividly described in the museum’s over 25 open-air exhibits. In addition to the primarily German systems, there are also exhibits from the former GDR, the Netherlands, France, the USA, and Denmark in the outdoor area.

The next speaker, Prof. Dr. Klaus Kuhnke from the Osnabrück Solar Energy Association, will present Solar Package 1, which has eliminated bureaucratic obstacles to operating a solar system and significantly simplified the registration of a balcony power system. Reinhard Ernst, an engineer from Diepholz, shared his experiences with community energy projects. Urban Schippmann reported on the latest developments in the wind energy industry. Finally, the museum’s educational director spoke about the regional impacts of climate change and the resulting opportunities for action.