Ungersheim -- post petroleum laboratory

We imagine France as a country where everything comes from Paris.  There’s truth to that, but only some.  Outside the capital, regional and local governments innovate more than we might expect.  Take for example Ungersheim a town of about 2,000 in Alsace, close to the German border.   Le Monde reports that two days after Christmas, the town inaugurated a solar-powered electric generating station.  At 2.2 MW, it's quite small in comparison to, say, the the Agua Caliente Project in Arizona, where photovoltaics generate 200 MW.  Still, it's estimated to be enough to supply 800 households and Ungersheim will receive rent and a small portion of operating revenues from the operator.

Photo by Grégoire Gauchet, Dernieres Nouvelles d'Alsace

 The solar power plant is part of “21 actions for the 21st century," a project lead by Ungersheim’s mayor of 20 plus years, Jean-Claude Mensch.  Mensch, a former miner and union activist, aims to bring new ideas to a region that still remembers hard times after the mines closed.  In meetings with local residents, he and members of the local council worked out ideas for “sustainable development.”  Thus, besides the solar power plant, the municipal swimming pool is now heated by solar panels.  Municipal lighting levels have been reduced to limit light pollution and lower costs.  A new “éco-hameau” residential area will have no cars and target zero carbon emissions.  The town regained control of water treatment and distribution and operates with rates 5 to 20 percent below those of nearby communities.  And more.  Le Monde refers to it as a “post petroleum laboratory.”

I'm interested to follow implementation of all of these 21 actions and to see whether Ungersheim and the aptly-named Mayor Mensch have a wider influence.