Nature-compatible energy transition Acceptance and experiences at local level
It is of central importance to the success of the energy transition that the expansion of renewables energies is supported and accepted by the population. With regard to this, however, nature and environmental compatibility is criticized and often used as an argument against the expansion of renewable energies in licensing and litigation processes. In the project “AcceptEE- Factors Promoting Acceptance of Renewable Energies” funded by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), it was examined whether greater consideration of nature and environmental compatibility could lead to higher acceptance of the energy transition.
To this end, it was analysed which factors in the context of nature, landscape and climate protection can promote the acceptance of the renewable energy expansion on a local scale. For the first time, nature conservation and local resident protection were related to each other as factors influencing local acceptance.
It has been shown that citizens support the energy transition as a concern for society as a whole. On a local scale, renewable energy systems are also accepted by a majority of residents. Nevertheless, some of the systems are met with skepticism or resistance. On the basis of current research and our own empirical surveys in three case regions, this brochure explains how the acceptance of renewable energy systems can be further promoted and points out areas, in which further action is required. In order to support the acceptance of renewable energy systems, above all, increased transparency, planning participation and local economic participation are needed. But trust in the actors involved is also of particular importance.
