Energy Use Plans Pave the Way for the Energy Transition in Western Middle Franconia
Four counties, in collaboration with the Institute for Energy Technology (IfE), have developed strategies to expand the energy supply in a climate-friendly, resilient, and economically viable manner by 2040
July 27, 2026
Source: Institute for Energy Technology (IfE)
The districts of Ansbach, Neustadt a.d. Aisch–Bad Windsheim, Roth, and Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen have collaborated with the Institute for Energy Technology (IfE) to develop so-called Digital Energy Use Plans PLUS (ENP+).
The plans are intended to serve as a foundation for advancing the energy transition in the region by 2040 and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
A key finding of the analyses: For a successful energy transition, a balanced annual balance of generation and consumption is not sufficient. What is crucial is the temporal coordination of renewable electricity generation, grids, storage systems, and flexible consumers. In particular, electricity surpluses from photovoltaics and wind energy must be better utilized in the future.
The simulations show that Western Middle Franconia could develop into a significant region with a surplus of electricity by 2040. This requires a balanced expansion of photovoltaics, wind energy, and biomass, as well as investments in grid infrastructure, storage technologies, and sector coupling. To this end, the energy utilization plans include more than 20 specific measures per county.
Read the full press release here.