Energy park planned for Gorleben
In the small town of Gorleben, a shift in direction is underway. The Samtgemeinde Gartow and the municipality of Gorleben have proposed an ecological energy park on the former mining area, marking a significant departure from the town's nuclear past.
The genesis of this transformation can be traced back to the late 1970s when the German company for the disposal of nuclear waste (DWK) acquired around 659 hectares of land in Gorleben for a planned nuclear waste disposal center. However, this project was later abandoned. After the mine was dismantled, the DWK indicated that it no longer had an interest in the use of the land.
The energy park, on the other hand, aims to utilize renewable energy sources such as wind, photovoltaics, green hydrogen, deep geothermal energy, and a regional district heating network. A key aspect of this plan is the use of caverns in the salt dome for hydrogen storage.
Christian Jaernecke, the CDU mayor of the Samtgemeinde Gartow, has suggested the establishment of a communal foundation without legacy liabilities for the future use of the land. This foundation would ensure the long-term sustainability of the energy park project.
The Gorleben interim storage facility currently stores 113 Castor containers of highly radioactive waste. The permit for the storage of this highly radioactive waste in Gorleben expires in 2034. After this date, the containers are planned to be transported to a final repository, which Germany aims to establish by then.
However, the nationwide search for a final repository for highly radioactive waste will take a long time. As a result, new permits will have to be applied for for the storage of highly radioactive waste in Gorleben. Clarity about the availability of the land is expected by mid-2026.
Mayor Jaernecke stated that they are at the beginning of the planning process. The municipalities have a strategic plan for the use of the site, which includes opening up the land energetically using caverns in the salt dome for hydrogen storage. The energy generation in the energy park is planned to be primarily through new wind turbines and open-field photovoltaics.
As Gorleben looks towards a future powered by renewable energy, the town's transformation from a potential nuclear waste repository to an ecological energy park represents a significant step forward in Germany's pursuit of a sustainable energy future.
