Prokon actively engages with the community and supports various local projects that promote the common good, for example through sponsorship agreements. Our support is particularly tailored to small associations, support groups, and even individuals. To do this, we first enter into sponsorship framework agreements with the neighboring local municipalities of a wind farm.
The process behind this is very simple: interested parties submit an application to their municipality using a form, which then forwards the application to Prokon. The municipality acts as an intermediary and ensures that the proposals are in line with local needs and requirements. After a review, we finance necessary measures directly and easily. The range of our support extends from setting up park benches, supporting playgrounds and fire brigades, to financing events, restoring cemetery walls, and much more.
Both Prokon and the overall development of the energy transition benefit from this form of cooperation: the advertising measures associated with the financial support increase our visibility in the region and make the positive impacts of renewable energy projects locally tangible, for example through named mentions on swimming pool tickets, advertising at local sports events, plaques on park benches, and similar initiatives.
Additionally, we support the financial assets of locally based foundations through significant larger contributions, which are committed to community engagement on the ground and always have a very good sense for locally sensible and necessary measures. Even though engagement in foundations has decreased in recent years due to low interest rates, this form of support remains a central component of Prokon's community promotion. Individual support services for specific upcoming projects in the form of monetary and/or in-kind donations are also an option that we regularly coordinate with communities and local project sponsors.
As a citizen-energy-cooperative, it is very important to us to make a communal energy transition possible. We are aware that community always means giving and taking for all involved. So far, in the planning areas of new wind farms, it has mainly been the landowners of areas leased for wind farm operation and the municipalities who have benefited, for example through foundations and business tax revenues. We now want to go a step further and provide local residents with the opportunity to participate in the success of the wind farms being built in selected wind farm projects.
This opportunity is not based on an intermediation by the municipality, but is directly controlled by Prokon. For this purpose, we offer residents living in a defined circle around the wind farm discounted electricity tariffs in the form of fixed amounts, which help residents lower their electricity bills. However, there is a challenge involved: the larger the number of participants, the smaller the savings per household. In practice, it is observed that the discounts do not always turn out as strong as originally hoped due to the broad distribution. Despite these limitations, the offer of discounted electricity tariffs remains an important part of our commitment, which we will continue to offer and improve to promote the acceptance and participation of the local population in the energy transition.
Restoration of the organ in Altenkrempe
For longevity: Among other things, the organ of the Evangelical Lutheran parish of Altenkrempe was able to be restored thanks to financial support from Prokon. Picture: Marianne Schreier
Local communities benefit primarily from sponsorships by Prokon, which financially support local projects and initiatives.
Wind farms can contribute to the improvement of local infrastructure by promoting the construction or expansion of municipal roads and paths, as well as the upgrading of supply networks, which benefit not only the projects themselves but also the surrounding communities and residents.
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