Status: 19.11.2022 10:45 AM
In one month the football stadium of Hannover 96 will become an ice hockey arena. The city derby Hannover Scorpions against the Hannover Indians takes place in the open air on an ice surface. In times of energy crisis, the large-scale project has not only won accolades.
Ice hockey fans were offered a lot of events on December 17: live music with “Fury in the Slaughterhouse” or “Kulcha Candela”, celebrities on ice skates and the last but not least city duel in the Oberliga Nord between the Scorpions and the Indians Will go to 96 arena – and consumes a lot of energy in the process.
4,500 kilowatt hours a day
To cool the ice surface, which is being installed for the “open-air” program, about 4,500 kilowatt hours of electricity is consumed per day. This is enough for a family of one person for an entire year on average. It is not surprising that, given the energy crisis, the elaborately staged open-air events planned over the years have been criticized.
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The city government, headed by green mayor Belit Onne, isn’t exactly enthusiastic, but appeals to the population that every kilowatt hour saved counts.
Opinion is divided on the streets of Hanover. One said, “I can understand that this is a big event, but at the moment I will not do it.” Another sees the importance of “enjoying positive moments for many”.
Diesel generator instead of grid electricity
“The buzz is justified,” says Nico Roger, managing director of the organizer “Hannover Concerts”. “But I think we will make the same decision again. We have been in difficult times for two or three years and we want to present something good to the people.”
Furthermore, Roger & Co. does not want to tap into the city’s power grid to operate the energy-hungry ice rink, which begins construction two weeks before the event, but uses diesel generators.
So far more than 25 thousand tickets have been sold
The idea of ”open-air ice hockey” based on the North American model certainly resonated with fans. According to Roger, more than 25,000 tickets have already been sold. Scorpions forward Alan McPherson can’t wait either and reminisces about his early days. “We used to play a lot of outdoor hockey in Canada when we were kids. To be able to do it again so soon in front of a big crowd is something special.”
McPherson appears to have lied to the Indians. The league leaders’ best man scored three goals in a 5-2 win over city rivals on Friday evening. 4,608 spectators watched the city derby at the Ice Rink at the Horse Tower. In a month, outside, there will be at least five times as many.
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