Russian gas? Nein danke, says energy self-sufficient German district

As Germany scrambles to avert a fuel crisis this winter, one rural district has become a role model for how the country might wean itself off dwindling imports of Russian gas - by producing all the energy that it consumes itself. The western district of Rhein-Hunsrueck uses a combination of solar, wind and biofuel to generate enough power to run its homes, public buildings and businesses, with enough left over to contribute to an electric car-sharing service and e-bikes. "Up until 1995, not a single kilowatt hour of energy used in our district was produced by us. Everything had to be imported," said Frank-Michael Uhle, the district's climate protection manager.