Our emergence

Ecovision has reached maturity. 18 years ago ecovision GmbH – Stuttgart has been founded. Since than the vision to use renewable energy has become a passion to realise solar- and wind generation projects and develop democratically the renewable energy market. Today we are spreading our vast experience worldwide by consulting our Clients.

An environmentally friendly and socially fair energy supply – that was the main aim of the founding members Georg Hille, Günter Koschwitz, Werner Rostan, Dr. Joachim Nitsch, Carlos Zàrate Espinoza, Karl-Heinz Vogel, Martin Selje und kate e.V. Umwelt & Entwicklung. In 2003 this ecological vision reflected the name ecovision.

Originally Ecovision was founded within the AGENDA 21 by an initiative of the NGO kate e.V. together with different congregations in the area of Stuttgart. This agenda was dedicated to save the Creation and create environmental projects.

Soon the visionary wanted to achieve more: “We want to put our feeds on the roof of the administration office of the Oberkirchenrat der Evangelischen Landeskirche Württemberg „ said Werner Rostan, the late founder of ecovision.

The signal was given – in July 2004 the first jointly owned solar PV plants were installed on two buildings of the administration of the church. The legal society GmbH & Co.KG was realized.

In the meantime all our plants are operating in summary more than 2000 years, our 1300 small investors are more than satisfied, as 95% of all our funds are outperforming.

Project by project followed.

Our development

In the years 2004-2013 ecovision GmbH has equipped numerous roofs with PV-plants. In 2004 and 2005 we realized the first solar fund of it´s kind together with the city of Stuttgart (five roofs on schools with total of 310 kWp).

2008 we set another milestone: we installed a PV Plant at the former „Nato-Special Weapons arsenal“ in Siegelsbach (closed to Bad Rappenau). On this former military base Pershing II-Cruise Missiles have been stored during the Cold War sccording to the Nato-Double –Track Decision – therefor our slogan was swords into solar shares (the original was swords into ploughshares).

Due to the fruitful cooperation with the local utility of Emmendingen we realised four solar funds and one windproject.

The 3 MW Enercon E101 is operating since 08.11.2013. It was at that time the largest repowering project in Baden-Württemberg. Innovative was the structure of investors at the location Weißmoos in Schuttertal-Schweighausen. The equity of the total investment of Euro 5m project was provided by two cooperatives, the local utility of Emmendingen and 17 private small investors.

Caused by the poor environmental politics of the current German government headed by our chancellor Angela Merkel no further project could be realised from 2012 to today. But as a share deal we have overtaken a 3 MWp PV plant on three large farms in Eastern Germany. Innovative is the participation structure – a mixture of limited partners and non-typical sleeping partners. The latter ones got unusual comprehensive power of co-decision in this project.

Due to the cooperation of Georg Hille with the cooperative OEKOGENO eG we carry out the business administration of more 13 solar-and windprojects for them.

Current situation

Instead of continuing the dynamic path the government of the “eternal” Chancellor Merkel in 2012 the solar market has been stopped and the wind market in 2018 – both market almost collapsed. Therefore the targets for the climate change in 2020 have been missed by far – and even forgotton about! Now even more ambitious targets are formulated for 2030, a year in which none of the acting personal will still be in power.

Populistic announcements and waiting instead of acting against climate change BEFORE its too late. This policy is a red tape of Chancellor Merkel on the regret of our children and grandchildren.

The new German coalition called Ampelkoalition has put much more ambitious targets to the renewable energy sector than the former government to mitigate climate change. However, only the future will show if these declarations will be changed into action and reality. The current war in Ukraine will have long-term impacts on Germans politics which can currently not be forecasted.

It is essential to carry out educidation and to break with traditional thinking in many heads! The founding fathers and mothers of ecovision are pioneers and they are acting with the same empathies for the idea today – as they have done it at the birthday 18 years ago. The desire for change and justice is the driving force for the team and will give the power for the future – against all odds of political nature.

The ecovision Team

Sabine Dietrich, Georg Hille, Günter Koschwitz in the name of all members