Today, IKEM, Oeko-Institut and ILS published the Atlas of Regional Energy Transitions online. The publication uses three exemplary regions in Germany to show how the energy transition can be shaped as a spatially, culturally and socially embedded transformation process.
Created as part of the PlanTieFEn research project, the atlas combines technical, legal and social aspects of energy planning with regional identities, historical development paths and jointly developed energy visions. It focuses on the regions of Hochschwarzwald (Upper Rhine), Dortmund-Unna (Ruhr area) and Greifswald (Western Pomerania).
Central to this is the approach of a “planning turnaround”, which calls for the early and substantial involvement of the population and the systematic consideration of socio-cultural factors in planning and approval processes. The atlas combines cartographic analyses of the potential of renewable energies and planning law with qualitative findings from workshops and regional dialogs. These are supplemented by energy visions that were developed together with local stakeholders.
The results make it clear that acceptance, equity and regional value creation are crucial prerequisites for a successful energy transition. The atlas is therefore intended both as an analytical tool and as a source of inspiration for policymakers, planners and practitioners to shape regional energy transitions in a context-specific, participatory and sustainable manner.
The printed book can be obtained from the IKEM.
