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Ecologic Institute eco An International Think Tank for Environment and Development Berlin logic Brussels Washington D.C. San Mateo CA E NERGY TRANSITION AND BEHAVIOURAL CHANGE IN RURAL AREAS T HE ROLE OF ENERGY COOPERATIVES Timo


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eco logic

Ecologic Institute

An International Think Tank for Environment and Development

Berlin Brussels Washington D.C. San Mateo CA

  • ENERGY TRANSITION AND BEHAVIOURAL CHANGE

IN RURAL AREAS

THE ROLE OF ENERGY COOPERATIVES

Timo Kaphengst, Eike Velten Ecologic Institute

13/8/14

ISEE Conference 2014

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eco logic

Ecologic Institute

An International Think Tank for Environment and Development

www.ecologic.eu

Thematic background

  • Radical change of our economy is needed
  • Structural transformations are currently impeded and only occur in

certain niches

  • Cities and urban areas are the major origin of social innovation
  • Energy transition in Germany and other European countries has

redirected focus of economic development to rural areas

  • Challenges of rural areas:
  • ageing population, high unemployment rates, social disparities and

the lack of adaptive potential to the global market

  • New actors in the energy market?: Energy cooperatives
  • Beneficial form of energy generation?
  • Rather community-based approach to energy development

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eco logic

Ecologic Institute

An International Think Tank for Environment and Development

www.ecologic.eu

The German Energy Transition

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eco logic

Ecologic Institute

An International Think Tank for Environment and Development

www.ecologic.eu

Characteristics of energy cooperatives

  • 1) democratic  all members of a cooperative have
  • ne vote independently of their financial contribution;
  • 2) open and flexible  throughout the existence of a

cooperative, additional citizens can get engaged and new projects can be initiated;

  • 3) secure  each cooperative is required to join a

cooperative auditing association, which offers support and consultancy but also regular checks to prevent financial losses.

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eco logic

Ecologic Institute

An International Think Tank for Environment and Development

www.ecologic.eu

Scope and objectives

  • Overall aim: to investigate processes towards

RE in rural areas by paying particular attention to the role of energy cooperatives

  • Do energy cooperatives provide favourable

structures for initialising transition processes in rural areas and involving relevant stakeholders?

  • Role of frontrunners in development of RE
  • Do energy cooperatives evoke changes in

(environmental) behaviour among their members?

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eco logic

Ecologic Institute

An International Think Tank for Environment and Development

www.ecologic.eu

The Multi-level Perspective (MLP)

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Source: ¡ adapted ¡from ¡ Geels ¡(2011) ¡

Assump&on: ¡energy ¡coopera=ves ¡as ¡a ¡part ¡of ¡niche ¡ac=vi=es ¡towards ¡ the ¡implementa=on ¡of ¡renewable ¡energies ¡challenging ¡the ¡mostly ¡ fossil-­‑based ¡energy ¡regime ¡at ¡regional ¡and ¡na=onal ¡level ¡ ¡ 6 ¡

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eco logic

Ecologic Institute

An International Think Tank for Environment and Development

www.ecologic.eu

Transition Management

  • TM stipulates a normative

decision and a prescriptive governance approach

  • Aim: to mobilise, guide, and

accelerate social innovation

  • Builds upon governance

and complex system theory, practical experiences and experiments

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Source: ¡Loorbach ¡(2007) ¡ 7 ¡

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eco logic

Ecologic Institute

An International Think Tank for Environment and Development

www.ecologic.eu

Practice Theory

  • Challenges the assumption

that rational individuals take conscious consumption decisions based on their attitudes and values

  • Practices as the central unit
  • f analysis
  • Example: people do not

desire a car, but strive to go to work in a convenient, safe and private way

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Source: ¡Shove ¡et ¡al., ¡2012 ¡ 8 ¡

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eco logic

Ecologic Institute

An International Think Tank for Environment and Development

www.ecologic.eu

Methodological approach

  • Case study in Northern Bavaria
  • Two site visits at the district of Rhön-Grabfeld,

interviews with key actors

  • Participatory Network Analysis
  • Online questionnaire sent to the members of

cooperatives

  • Additional information from two other case studies

based on a literature review

  • Island of Samsø, Denmark
  • Som Energia project in Spain

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eco logic

Ecologic Institute

An International Think Tank for Environment and Development

www.ecologic.eu

RE development in Rhön-Grabfeld

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eco logic

Ecologic Institute

An International Think Tank for Environment and Development

www.ecologic.eu

Network of actors

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eco logic

Ecologic Institute

An International Think Tank for Environment and Development

www.ecologic.eu

Key findings of Bavarian case study

Beneficial factors for promoting RE in rural areas:

  • Legal framework favouring renewable energies over fossil

energies, enabling a secure investment environment

  • Funding to support initial activities that do not yet generate

income

  • Frontrunners deeply rooted in the region and of high reputation

among population

  • Established networks of actors and stakeholders
  • General attitude and willingness towards change among at least

some parts of the population

  • A simple, convincing and highly inclusive concept
  • Spaces and capacities for open dialogues

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eco logic

Ecologic Institute

An International Think Tank for Environment and Development

www.ecologic.eu

Behavioural change in rural energy transition

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female 16% male 84% n=109 1% 1% 2% 4% 4% 5% 6% 7% 10% 15% 46% Unemployed Student No answer Housewife/Househusband Farmer Managerial Position Self-employed Public Servant Worker (Blue-Collar) Retired Employee (White Collar) n = 110

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eco logic

Ecologic Institute

An International Think Tank for Environment and Development

www.ecologic.eu

Position of respondents and money invested

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(Rather) passive member 59% (Rather) active Member 15% Supervisory board 14% Chair 8% Other 4% no answer 1% n=110 7% 14% 54% 22% 1% 3% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% ≤100 Euro ≤1.000 Euro ≤10.000 Euro ≤100.000 Euro >100.000 Euro no answer n=110

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eco logic

Ecologic Institute

An International Think Tank for Environment and Development

www.ecologic.eu

Motivation for joining energy cooperative

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89% 62% 62% 37% 15% 7% 25% 29% 53% 11% 1% 8% 6% 8% 26% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Environmental protection / sustainable energy supply Support the Community Interest in community projects Lucrative Investment Others Amount of Respondents Important Less Important Not important n=110; the remaining percentage to 100% is due to respondents giving no answer

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eco logic

Ecologic Institute

An International Think Tank for Environment and Development

www.ecologic.eu

Fields of behavioural change

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34% 29% 18% 17% 12% 5% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% Energy consumption Financial Investment Political Commitment Volunteering Mobility Diet n=106

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eco logic

Ecologic Institute

An International Think Tank for Environment and Development

www.ecologic.eu

Energy cooperatives and behavioural change

  • Commitment and participation had an effect on the awareness and

behaviour of the people involved in energy cooperatives

  • Mainly altruistic motives rather than profit-driven motivations to become

a member of an energy cooperative.

  • There is a notable male dominance in energy transition in rural areas.
  • For every field of behaviour at least two thirds of the respondents did

not perceive an effect on behaviour

  • The most relevant behavioural change occurred in energy consumption

and financial investments (“proximity” argument).

  • Some caveats:
  • Perception bias?: Man and older people tend to notice more behavioural

changes

  • Behavioural changes might be influenced by other factors or other people
  • PT: Energy cooperatives provide
  • Competences (social learning, skill enhancement)
  • Meaning (shared values and visions)
  • Materials (not so clear…)

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eco logic

Ecologic Institute

An International Think Tank for Environment and Development

www.ecologic.eu

Conclusions

  • Energy cooperatives
  • Attractive and inclusive vehicle for dynamics towards

transition

  • Should gain additional attention in future research on

transition at regional scale

  • Should be promoted by governments
  • More research is needed how such networks evolve and

which role frontrunners have in this process

  • Rapidly changing energy markets create new
  • pportunities for cooperation between producers and

consumers, governments and stakeholders, civil society etc.

  • Results and findings of behavioural changes need more

consolidation

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eco logic

Ecologic Institute

An International Think Tank for Environment and Development

www.ecologic.eu

Towards an “enabling policy”?

  • Which policy measures can directly support

bottom-up initiatives?

  • Diminish unnecessary administrative hurdles
  • Provide flexible and less result-based funding
  • pportunities; also enable “process funding”
  • Provide space/forums for exchanging ideas and

knowledge between citizens and stakeholders at local level.

  • Value outcomes of forums in decision-making and

strengthen the interplay between policy levels (local, regional, national and EU)

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eco logic

Ecologic Institute

An International Think Tank for Environment and Development

www.ecologic.eu

13/8/14

THANK YOU!

hKp://www.foreurope.eu/ ¡ =mo.kaphengst@ecologic.eu ¡ 20 ¡

ISEE Conference 2014