Geierlay suspension bridge: municipal income generation from renewables for local development

The municipality of Mörsdorf in the Rhein-Hunsrueck District offers an example of combining income generation from local renewables with regional development. A profitable location for wind power generation, Mörsdorf is home to 11 wind turbines that were built mostly on municipal land leased to windpark operators. With the help of an additional income of around 200,000 euros per year, the municipality built one of the longest suspension bridges in Germany (360 metres), spanning the scenic Geierlay valley . The bridge, in direct proximity to the village, has sparked a blossoming of local tourism and created jobs in various fields of the local economy. 

• Further reading: CLEW Dossier Towns and cities central to heating and transport transition, CLEW Factsheets High hopes and concerns over onshore wind power auctions and Citizens’ participation in the Energiewende
• Date of publication: April 2018