Project Description

An empirical investigation of the relationships between regional value creation, participative models and acceptance regarding the energy transition (Energiewende)

The expansion of renewable energy (RE), as required for meeting global climate protection goals, is associated with far-reaching changes in respect of the energy system, often resulting in profound interventions at local level into lifestyle habits. Consequently, those directly affected by changes associated with related infrastructure projects will perceive them as either positive or negative. Potential conflicts of interest and reasons for possible resistance may involve the transformative effects on landscape and biodiversity, the occurrence of unwanted noises and smells, the competition over land use, along with the development of electricity prices and the ability to participate in the revenue of communal facilities.

Therefore, enabling a direct involvement of citizens is pivotal for avoiding conflicts related to the further expansion of renewable energy and for increasing the acceptance of those who live in affected vicinities. More concretely, this implies to open land use planning and approval procedures and enable economic participation. As it is, the—seemingly apparent—link between said economic participation and the acceptance of renewable energy infrastructure has, however, not been proven sufficiently yet through scientific methods. In particular, knowledge deficits still exist relating to the nature of the connections between different models of financial participation, regional value creation, and acceptance. What impact local conditions, involving socio-economic factors and structural aspects, as well as legal and political frameworks, might have in this regard is similarly unknown still.

Therefore, it is the project’s objective to further investigate the connections between social acceptance and regional added value, yet not without recognizing the effects of different participation models for RE projects in selected energy-sufficient municipalities (Energie-Kommunen).

Project Period

June 2020 - November 2022

Cooperation Partners

Institute for future-, energy- and material-stream-systems (IZES gGmbH), Saarbrücken, Berlin

Jan Hildebrand
Tel.: +49681/844 972 29
Email: hildebrand@izes.de

Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW), Berlin

Dr. Steven Salecki
Tel.: +4930/884594-43
Email: steven.salecki@ioew.de

Renewable Energy Agency (AEE), Berlin

Ilka Müller
Tel: +4930/200 535 45
Email: i.mueller@unendlich-viel-energie.de