Participatory governance in decentralized energy transition: long-term findings from a municipal case study in Germany
Stefanie Baasch, Judith Maschke
Abstract
This paper draws on the results of a long-term analysis of participatory governance in the municipal energy transition process in Wolfhagen, a small town in northern Hesse, Germany. The study focuses on the following key questions: a) How is the energy transition perceived by stakeholders and citizens and how has it changed over time; b) How has the actor landscape evolved; and c) What was the role and function of participatory governance in the transition process? To date, there are numerous studies on local energy transitions, but little knowledge about how they have evolved and changed over time. This research gap is addressed here by analyzing primary and secondary qualitative and quantitative data (document analysis, stakeholder interviews, focus groups, participatory network analysis and street surveys) from 2012 to 2023. The results show that the local energy transition is a multifaceted process in terms of content, actor structure and time, and that it involves various structural and substantive challenges. Participatory governance and fair, inclusive process design are identified as crucial factors for the successful implementation and continuation of the energy transition. It therefore requires continuous and flexible design and development.