Germany’s North Sea islands are pioneering a heating revolution. From car-sharing and ocean-sourced heating to beach waste boxes, Spiekeroog and Borkum are striving to become more sustainable. While there are numerous ideas for achieving climate protection on islands, there are also challenges. The ambitious heating plans of these island paradises stand out.
Solar energy on Spiekeroog
Nadine Weber climbs a ladder to the roof of the sports hall in the village on Spiekeroog. From this vantage point, 170 black solar panels covering the roof become visible, something that remains unseen from the ground.
“We’ve had several days where the photovoltaic system alone met the entire electricity demand of the swimming pool, sports hall, and sauna landscape. That’s significant,” says Weber, the sustainability and climate protection project coordinator on Spiekeroog.
Since spring, the new solar installation has been helping to supply renewable energy to a nearby building complex. This is expected to save around 28 tons of CO2 annually. Like all the East Frisian islands, Spiekeroog aims to become climate-neutral. Often referred to as the “green island” due to its many trees, Spiekeroog is determined to become even greener. However, like other islands, it faces challenges: a shortage of craftsmen, many plans to implement simultaneously, and limited resources within small island administrations.
Sustainable practices and local sourcing
“We are implementing one project after another,” says Ansgar Ohmes, CEO of Nordseebad Spiekeroog GmbH. One of the tasks of the spa administration is to raise awareness of sustainability. Climate change is no longer an abstract concept on the East Frisian islands and in the Wadden Sea National Park; islanders are experiencing extreme weather events and storm surges.
“In vacation, people have time to engage with these issues,” says Ohmes. Today, climate protection and more sustainable business practices are embedded in many aspects of island life, including within the spa administration itself. A few years ago, a shipment of flip-flops from China arrived at the tourist info center, giving off a chemical rubber smell that caused headaches. “We don’t have that anymore; they lasted three weeks for a Spiekeroog holiday and then ended up in the trash,” says Ohmes. Now, products are sourced more locally, although this is not always easy to maintain.
According to Weber, there is no shortage of ideas for more climate protection. Since she started her job on the 800-resident island two years ago, many locals, second-home owners, and guests have approached her with suggestions. “There is a high density of people here who are connected to sustainability and climate protection,” she says, mainly because the island is so green. “They want to preserve and enjoy exactly that.” Many ideas are supported by the Heinrich Pferdmenges Foundation, which is active on Spiekeroog.
Growing demands for sustainability
Currently, drinking water fountains are being installed at various locations on the island. Reusable bottles are being introduced to reduce the purchase of plastic bottles. In the island’s restaurants, a reusable system is now established. To protect nature, there are nine beach waste boxes along the shore for collecting washed-up debris. For the mobility of islanders and mainland visitors, the car-free island has set up a car-sharing service.
“There is a growing awareness of sustainability among vacationers,” says Enno Schmoll, a professor of tourism development at Jade University in Wilhelmshaven. “Islanders have always lived closely with nature and are aware of their vulnerability. Guests notice this too.” The East Frisian islands like Spiekeroog are working on various fronts to enhance their sustainability efforts. “The islands strive to improve and could serve as a model for other destinations and their guests,” says Schmoll.
Ferry traffic: the climate offender
A significant and largely unresolved issue for the North Sea islands on the path to climate neutrality is accessibility via water. On Spiekeroog, arrivals and departures account for nearly half of the island’s annual CO2 footprint, according to a 2018 study of all tourism-related greenhouse gas emissions.
Climate-friendly alternatives to ferries powered by fossil fuels are still scarce along the coast. Retrofitting ferries with heavy batteries for electric propulsion is challenging in the shallow Wadden Sea, says Ohmes. “Currently, no one in the Wadden Sea knows exactly where the journey is headed.” However, the Norden-Frisia shipping company, which operates the ferry service to Norderney, plans to launch an electric catamaran soon.
Pioneers in wind energy
Borkum, the largest of the East Frisian islands, is also working towards climate neutrality as part of the Europe-wide pilot project “Islander.” This project tests various technologies for the complete decarbonization of islands, benefiting other European islands with the acquired knowledge. In 2015, Borkum set an ambitious goal: to be emissions-free by 2030.
Borkum has been engaged with renewable energies for a long time. Axel Held, director of the municipal utilities, recalls, “We set up a wind turbine at the end of the 1990s, one of the first on the coast.” Although legally possible in the national park back then, the island now also has e-car sharing, a hydrogen filling station, and a solar park. Despite these efforts, Borkum, with around 6,000 residents, is not yet energy-autonomous: about half of its required electricity is supplied via a sea cable from the mainland.
Harnessing heat from the North Sea
Göran Sell, CEO of Nordseeheilbad Borkum GmbH, identifies a significant challenge in heating supply. “How do we heat households and provide hot water for showers without using natural gas?”
In addition to wind and solar power, the island plans to utilize geothermal energy. Studies have shown that at a depth of 3,500 to 3,700 meters beneath the island, there is a layer of earth with a temperature of around 120 degrees Celsius. “We want to use the reservoir beneath the island to provide heat for large parts of the island,” says Held. When the heat is not needed, it could be used to generate electricity.
A model project on Borkum demonstrates how this could work on a smaller scale, using heat from the North Sea. Recently, heat exchangers were installed underwater in the island’s harbor basin. “These supply heat to a nearby offshore quarter with 115 apartments,” says Held.
Future of geothermal energy
A feasibility study for the larger geothermal project is underway on Borkum. Permission from the State Mining Office has been obtained. Meanwhile, Borkum is considering how to distribute future heat to households. “We also have a distribution issue,” says Held. An existing small district heating network, currently operated by a combined heat and power plant, would need to be expanded.
On Spiekeroog, Nadine Weber continues to work on more sustainability ideas. Developing a recyclable beach chair, for instance, is still on her list. She also aims to improve the island’s accessibility by bus and train.
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