26 E. GREALIS ET AL.
changes to the Renewable Energy Act appear to have caused a drop off
in co-operative investment regulations, with a transition away from feedin-tariff supports to bid or auction systems (Morris 2014). Such systems
can be problematic for citizen co-operatives, which typically only plan to
realise a single project and cannot therefore split the risk of a lost auction
in contrast to large-scale commercial developers who can bid for several
projects at once (Amalang 2016).
Although more recent signals at the Federal level clearly favour a more
centralised Energiewende, the German energy transition also involves a
decentralisation of energy production and the emergence of new actor networks in so-called energy regions (Gailing and Röhring 2016). Between
the level of municipalities and the federal level, the formation of collaborative network-based governance is considered a determining factor for
the success of regional energy transitions (Gailing 2018). An example
for a bottom-up regional multi-level governance project can be found in
the oberland region in Southern Bavaria. Here, Energiewende Oberland
(EWo), a civic foundation for energy transition founded in 2005, has been
identified as the decisive actor responsible for institutionalising the energy
transition and for building effective networks and governance structures
regarding the energy sector in the region (Von Streit and Bothe, in review).
Yet despite the emergence of active regional networks (such as in
the oberland region), efforts towards a decentralised energy transition
continue to meet unfavourable political and regulatory conditions set at
Federal and State levels that favour a centralised Energiewende.
trenDs in nationaL househoLD energy
Campaigns in germany
National household energy campaigns have primarily focused on, and prioritised technical solutions, with the primary future vision for a successful Energiewende reliant on improved technical innovation, greater energy
efficiency, passive/carbon positive housing, improved energy transmission,
and high-tech grid management in order to enable greater proliferation of
renewables (BMWi 2018). This trend is also evident in campaigns aimed
at changing energy-related behaviour. Here, the focus is firmly on encouraging individuals to make ‘smarter’ consumer choices in terms of more
efficient lighting, heating systems and household appliances, with reduction of use strategies featuring much less prominently. A recent analysis
of 60 sustainable energy consumption initiatives (SECIs) in Germany
changes to the Renewable Energy Act appear to have caused a drop off
in co-operative investment regulations, with a transition away from feedin-tariff supports to bid or auction systems (Morris 2014). Such systems
can be problematic for citizen co-operatives, which typically only plan to
realise a single project and cannot therefore split the risk of a lost auction
in contrast to large-scale commercial developers who can bid for several
projects at once (Amalang 2016).
Although more recent signals at the Federal level clearly favour a more
centralised Energiewende, the German energy transition also involves a
decentralisation of energy production and the emergence of new actor networks in so-called energy regions (Gailing and Röhring 2016). Between
the level of municipalities and the federal level, the formation of collaborative network-based governance is considered a determining factor for
the success of regional energy transitions (Gailing 2018). An example
for a bottom-up regional multi-level governance project can be found in
the oberland region in Southern Bavaria. Here, Energiewende Oberland
(EWo), a civic foundation for energy transition founded in 2005, has been
identified as the decisive actor responsible for institutionalising the energy
transition and for building effective networks and governance structures
regarding the energy sector in the region (Von Streit and Bothe, in review).
Yet despite the emergence of active regional networks (such as in
the oberland region), efforts towards a decentralised energy transition
continue to meet unfavourable political and regulatory conditions set at
Federal and State levels that favour a centralised Energiewende.
trenDs in nationaL househoLD energy
Campaigns in germany
National household energy campaigns have primarily focused on, and prioritised technical solutions, with the primary future vision for a successful Energiewende reliant on improved technical innovation, greater energy
efficiency, passive/carbon positive housing, improved energy transmission,
and high-tech grid management in order to enable greater proliferation of
renewables (BMWi 2018). This trend is also evident in campaigns aimed
at changing energy-related behaviour. Here, the focus is firmly on encouraging individuals to make ‘smarter’ consumer choices in terms of more
efficient lighting, heating systems and household appliances, with reduction of use strategies featuring much less prominently. A recent analysis
of 60 sustainable energy consumption initiatives (SECIs) in Germany