Barnim is proud of its unique natural environment. This includes the Schorfheide-Chorin UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, one of the largest forest areas in Europe. The district can be equally proud of its energy policy.
As early
as 2008, Barnim launched the initiative ‘The Future is RENEWABLE:BAR’. This set the course for a transition to renewable energy, with the aim of preserving the unspoilt landscape. The vision for the future envisages a way of life powered exclusively by renewable energy sources.
With its adopted zero-emissions strategy, the district of Barnim is regarded as a pioneer in the region and in Brandenburg. The district’s aim is to harness the region’s potential and resources, to re-evaluate material flows from an energy perspective, and to increase value creation within the district. In terms of electricity generation, 116 per cent of current consumption is already being generated through photovoltaics, wind power or biogas. Plans are in place to develop an infrastructure for hydrogen mobility.
In 2021, the Karlsruhe-based energy supplier ENBW opened its solar park in Barnim. It comprises around 465,000 solar panels at Germany’s largest ground-mounted solar farm. It generates electricity for 50,000 households. The environmentally friendly solar park, with an electricity output of around 180 million kilowatt-hours, prevents the emission of approximately 129,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year.