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We are in 2030. Bospolder-Tussendijken (BoTu), once one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, has become completely independent of fossil fuels. The neighbourhood has achieved this without the use of expensive technology and infrastructure. Energy production relies entirely on locally available resources: human power and biomass, supplemented by wind and solar power if the weather allows it. Energy use has decreased radically, while welfare has increased spectacularly.
Drawing: Melle Smets.
In the early 2020s, the debate on energy transition was still mainly focused on energy production and on technological solutions to reduce carbon emissions. By contrast, in BoTu the focus shifted to a radical reduction of energy consumption, which greatly facilitates the use of 100% locally available, renewable energy sources. Humanity uses more resources than the planet can sustain, and this can't go on forever.
Communal Household
In the carbon neutral neighbourhood, all household tasks are organised jointly. The public squares in BoTu are equipped with communal kitchens, canteens, bathing houses, washrooms, and toilets. A shared household infrastructure is much more energy efficient. Furthermore, it frees a lot of space in individual homes, which only need bedrooms and living rooms. Because this allows to house more people in existing buildings, rents have come down and the purchasing power of the residents has gone up.
Human Power, Biomass, Solar and Wind Energy
By 2030, the neighbourhood managed to operate completely on renewable energy sources. All mechanical and electrical energy -- for example for lighting, charging laptops, or powering the tram -- is supplied by human power. All thermal energy -- hot water, cooking, heating, clothes drying -- is supplied by burning biomass. Solar and wind power largely take over the roles of both human power and biomass if the weather allows it. Energy storage is very limited.
Food and Firewood
Both human power and fire require the use of fuel. Food and firewood are produced within the neighbourhood, in order to limit their import. The former roof park of BoTu was transformed into a coppice forest, an orchard and a city vegetable garden. It is also the place where all the organic waste is recycled. BoTu 2030 also has (among others) the most energy efficient internet in the world, and a human powered hospital for COVID-19 patients.
In the coming weeks and months, we will outline daily life in the carbon neutral district.