Optimistic mood boosted by more than 220 million euros in acquired funding – “#WHY – Transformation in Hoyerswerda” communication campaign successfully launched

Leipzig/Hoyerswerda, 27 April 2023 – The structural transformation in the former coal-mining region around Hoyerswerda is making rapid progress thanks to 220 million euros in acquired funding. Since 2019, Leipzig-based Tilia GmbH has already been supporting the city in Lusatia in the transformation processes that will be necessary as a result of the coal phase-out by 2038 at the latest, using its expertise to support the realization of effective and feasible solutions.
“We developed the LebensEnergieStadt (LivingEnergyCity) strategy at an early stage together with the municipality and municipal companies,” reports Tilia project manager Simone Mindermann. “This comprehensive strategy consisted of more than 20 project ideas in six key ares – from energy and construction through to health. We involved participants from politics, business and research, integrated neighbouring regions and created new networks.”
Thanks to this intensive preparatory work, Hoyerswerda was able to react quickly to the new funding opportunities for structural change made available by the state, federal government and EU in 2020. “It was mainly the holistic and integrative approach that won over the assessors,” says Simone Mindermann. “As a result, Hoyerswerda was able to establish an efficient unit for structural transformation, acquire a large amount of funding, initiate numerous projects with this funding and, therefore, take on a leading role in the region.” Following the successful acquisition of funding, the Tilia team is also actively involved in implementing the strategy.
A variety of solutions for reorganising the heat supply have been developed for Hoyerswerda utilities for ending the use of brown coal. “Climate neutrality in 2045” is the common goal of the utility companies Städtische Werke Spremberg, Stadtwerke Weißwasser and Versorgungsbetriebe Hoyerswerda (VBH). In the commissioned study “Scientific transformation study on the decarbonisation of the heat supply in the Spremberg, Hoyerswerda and Weißwasser region by 2050”, Tilia and its project partners Fraunhofer IEG and IREES are exploring ways in which the heat supply for around 85,000 people in the region can be converted into climate-neutral power plants and storage facilities by 2045 – a lighthouse project for the entire region undergoing structural transformation. Security of supply, affordability, ecological sustainability and value creation for people, cities and municipal companies take top priority in this matter.
The first major project was already implemented at the end of 2022 – the expansion of the Zeißig waterworks: a foundation stone for the region’s sustainable infrastructure. This will be followed by more sustainable, people-centred action, such as the electrification of bus transport and the renovation of the “Lausitzbad” swimming pool.
Business and research are being targeted: for example, the “Lusatian Research Campus” will be created with the TU Dresden by 2026, where there are plans to conduct mobility studies for autonomous driving, flying and autonomous farming, among other things. This aims to create 300 new jobs in Hoyerswerda in the medium term. Another milestone for the region is the “Virtual Smart Hospital” project: thanks to successful funding, innovative technology will now be used in healthcare at Lusatian Lakeland Hospital.
In mid-March, the German Centre for Astrophysics (DZA) moved into its offices in Hoyerswerda’s old town hall to set up a major research centre for Lusatia. The DZA will be a magnet for industry and institutions in Upper Lusatia and will support start-ups and spin-off new companies.
Based on the successful “LebensEnergieStadt” roadmap, Hoyerswerda and Tilia are continuing to press ahead with sustainable urban development project by project. The cooperation project to supervise the structural transformation was recently extended until 2025. At the beginning of April, Hoyerswerda also started the extensive communication campaign “#WHY – Transformation in Hoyerswerda” with the launch of the website www.darumwhy.de and the elaborately produced podcast “That’s #WHY!” In this way, the town not only makes the structural transformation more tangible to its local residents in an entertaining and informative way, it also showcases itself to potential new citizens across Germany.

Fotograph: Gernot Menzel

About Tilia GmbH

Tilia GmbH supports utility companies, municipalities, manufacturers and the housing industry with the changes and transformation they need to make in order to achieve greater climate protection and sustainability. We develop integrated solutions with our customers and partners in the fields of energy, water, circular economies, mobility and infrastructure, while also exploiting the benefits of digitalisation. We adopt a holistic approach, taking into consideration all key aspects that determine a company’s success: strategy and organisation, personnel and processes, technology and plants, economic and ecological factors, management, culture and communication. Our aim is to support our customers over the long term – taking them from the conception to implementation and establishing a lasting, mutually beneficial partnership.
Tilia GmbH was founded in Leipzig in 2009 and became part of the internationally operating Tilia Group in 2022. The company employs around 150 people and has already completed over 500 projects in more than 20 different countries. The corporate vision is to provide effective support to drive greater sustainability
www.tilia.info

Tilia press relations

Kristin Preßler, Senior Manager Transformation
Email: kristin.pressler[at]tilia.info