Wind, Women, Art, Acceptance - Wind Power for the World: The Rise of Modern Wind Energy - page 497

the site. Our eforts were all for nothing, the permission refused
because of the presence of the birds. Then Ditmar Schmidt walked
in. He had been my husband since 97, a colleague, a partner
through thick and thin. He picked the letter up from the floor, read
it and gave it back to me. What the letter actually read was: “Since
only a couple of storks (…), the building permission is granted.”

22.3 Citizens' Participation, but How?

Financial investment of the citizens in renewable energy projects,
in citizens' projects, is the obvious and well-known principle that
fits with the decentralisation of renewable energies.
There is another important aspect—feelings. And we strongly
believed that feelings should be expressed. The best instrument
for the expression of feelings is art. The Mexican artist, David Alfaro
Siqueiros, pointed this out in the best possible way: “Over the
course of the last four centuries, virtually all principles, after
which one has strived, have disappeared from art. We have to
realise anew that a piece of art is created by humans for humans
as an instrument for the transfer of feelings and expression of
movements. That is why we have to develop our creative elements
and adapt to our projects or tasks.”
The decision was made; we would try to undertake a connection
between technology and art. The aims of the first artistic wind farm
were: Increase the acceptance of the farm through involvement
of local artists and children; integrate educational elements
through the conveyance of messages and feelings; distinguish the
technical object—the tower—by using colour, since the white tower
is the most disturbing factor of the so-called timber line which goes
up to a height of 15 m; create a demonstration and pilot project
with study options; convey art as a part of the solar movement;
increase the advertising impact.
The selection of three very diferent local artists began very
carefully at a point in time when it was not yet clear if we would get
the building permission.
Franz Kießlich, born 97, was a lithographer, a painter for the
advertising industry, an art teacher in Triwalk. On erection of the
wind farm, he was 79 years old.

3

3

The NDR local television channel reported on our artistic wind farm and about
him.