Leiden University Student Repository

Dittmar, Hanna 2021

Towards a Citizens-Led Energy Transition: Practices, Strategies and Challenges of Renewable Energy Communities in Germany

Master thesis | Public Administration (MSc)

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The German government aims to become climate neutral by 2045. To achieve these ambitious goals, a reconstruction of the German energy sector is necessary to move from fossil fuel-based energy...Show moreThe German government aims to become climate neutral by 2045. To achieve these ambitious goals, a reconstruction of the German energy sector is necessary to move from fossil fuel-based energy sourced to renewable energies. However, the reconstruction of the energy sector cannot rely on technological innovations alone but must be accompanied by social innovations as well. This research aims to investigate the aspiring role of social innovations in the German energy transition process. Hereby a comparative small N (N=2) study is conducted of two German renewable energy communities that specialize in the generation of photovoltaic energy. A conceptual framework is developed focusing on the theoretical dimensions of transition potential, benefits and challenges in order to examine how the renewable energy communities aim to be part of the German energy transition process. The findings of this master thesis uncover that renewable energy communities in Germany seek to contribute to the shift in the energy system by becoming part of the socio-technical regime and by emphasizing a decentralized energy transition. Moreover, the results reveal that the contribution is limited by particular challenges such as the time resources of volunteers and political uncertainty.Show less