Contributions of Bottom-Up Energy Transitions in Germany: A Case Study Analysis

Ortzi Akizu, Gorka Bueno, Iñaki Barcena, Erol Kurt, Nurettin Topaloğlu and Jose Manuel Lopez-Guede
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Ortzi Akizu: Department of Graphic Expression and Engineering Projects, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Nieves Cano 12, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
Gorka Bueno: Department of Electronics Engineering, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48013 Bilbao, Spain
Iñaki Barcena: Department of Political Science and Administration, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain
Erol Kurt: Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Technology Faculty, Gazi University, 06500 Ankara, Turkey
Nurettin Topaloğlu: Department of Computer Engineering, Technology Faculty, Gazi University, 06500 Ankara, Turkey
Jose Manuel Lopez-Guede: Department of Engineering Systems and Automatics, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 4, 1-21

Abstract: Within the context of an energy transition towards achieving a renewable low-impact energy consumption system, this study analyses how bottom-up initiatives can contribute to state driven top-down efforts to achieve the sustainability related goals of (1) reducing total primary energy consumption; (2) reducing residential electricity and heat consumption; and (3) increasing generated renewable energy and even attaining self-sufficiency. After identifying the three most cited German bottom-up energy transition cases, the initiatives have been qualitatively and quantitatively analysed. The case study methodology has been used and each initiative has been examined in order to assess and compare these with the German national panorama. The novel results of the analysis demonstrate the remarkable effects of communal living, cooperative investment and participatory processes on the creation of a new sustainable energy system. The study supports the claim that bottom-up initiatives could also contribute to energy sustainability goals together within the state driven plans. Furthermore, the research proves that the analysed bottom-up transitions are not only environmentally and socially beneficial but they can also be economically feasible, at least in a small scale, such as the current German national top-down energy policy panorama.

Keywords: energy transition; energy democracy; community management; bottom-up transitions; energy sovereignty; energy justice (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

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