German Town Requires New Buildings, Renovated Edifices To Have Solar Heating

Marburg, Germany (AHN) - The college town of Marburg in Germany is taking the country's green policies one step higher by mandating solar heating for new buildings and renovated edifices.

The town's council passed the legislation on Friday, amid the protest of residents and politicians from the town, located in Hesse state.

Opposition politician Hermann Uchtmann accused the city of green dictatorship. Marburg Mayor Franz Kahle defended the new law, stressing that although it would cost residents and business owners $7,800 (5,000 euro) to install a solar panel, the cost would be paid off through savings in energy bills over a 15-year period.

The law takes effect Oct. 1. It requires a solar panel of 10 square feet (one square meter) for every 200 square feet (20 square meters) of surface area. Violators would be fined $1,551 (1,000 euro).

Exempt from the new law are buildings with an existing district heating system, a combined heat and power generator or a wooden pellet oven.

Marburg, with 80,000 residents, is the first German town to mandate cleaner energy sources be adopted by its residents.