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Bioenergy Villages and Regions in Germany: An Interview Study with Initiators of Communal Bioenergy Projects on the Success Factors for Restructuring the Energy Supply of the Community

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  • André Wüste

    (Interdisciplinary Centre of Sustainable Development, University of Göttingen, Goldschmidtstrasse 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany)

  • Peter Schmuck

    (Interdisciplinary Centre of Sustainable Development, University of Göttingen, Goldschmidtstrasse 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany)

Abstract

Because of the serious problems related to an energy supply based mainly on fossil and nuclear fuels, the development of renewable energy sources is urgently needed. In Germany, many villages and communities take energy production into their own hands, following the principle of a community-related energy supply. Today, approximately 50 villages or communities in Germany have restructured their energy consumption patterns to rely primarily on locally available renewable energy sources for their electricity and heat. This article describes a qualitative interview study concerning the success factors for the implementation of bioenergy villages. The interviews were conducted with 25 individuals who initiated the restructuring of energy production in their villages toward bioenergy and other renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind energy.

Suggested Citation

  • André Wüste & Peter Schmuck, 2012. "Bioenergy Villages and Regions in Germany: An Interview Study with Initiators of Communal Bioenergy Projects on the Success Factors for Restructuring the Energy Supply of the Community," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 4(2), pages 1-13, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:4:y:2012:i:2:p:244-256:d:16052
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    4. Kortsch, Timo & Hildebrand, Jan & Schweizer-Ries, Petra, 2015. "Acceptance of biomass plants – Results of a longitudinal study in the bioenergy-region Altmark," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 690-697.
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    7. Thomas Hoppe & Antonia Graf & Beau Warbroek & Imke Lammers & Isabella Lepping, 2015. "Local Governments Supporting Local Energy Initiatives: Lessons from the Best Practices of Saerbeck (Germany) and Lochem (The Netherlands)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-32, February.
    8. Brummer, Vasco, 2018. "Community energy – benefits and barriers: A comparative literature review of Community Energy in the UK, Germany and the USA, the benefits it provides for society and the barriers it faces," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 187-196.
    9. Moritz Albrecht, 2017. "The role of translation loops in policy mutation processes: State designated Bioenergy Regions in Germany," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 35(5), pages 898-915, August.
    10. Mark Booker Nielsen & Rikke Lybæk & Tyge Kjær, 2022. "Successfully Navigating the Project Lifecycle for Deployment of Centralized Biogas Projects—The Case of Solrød Biogas," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-21, August.
    11. Nilubon Luangchosiri & Takaya Ogawa & Hideyuki Okumura & Keiichi N. Ishihara, 2021. "Success Factors for the Implementation of Community Renewable Energy in Thailand," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-12, July.
    12. Alexandra Pehlken & Kalle Wulf & Kevin Grecksch & Thomas Klenke & Nina Tsydenova, 2020. "More Sustainable Bioenergy by Making Use of Regional Alternative Biomass?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-22, September.
    13. Roesler, Tim & Hassler, Markus, 2019. "Creating niches – The role of policy for the implementation of bioenergy village cooperatives in Germany," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 95-101.
    14. Lode, M.L. & te Boveldt, G. & Coosemans, T. & Ramirez Camargo, L., 2022. "A transition perspective on Energy Communities: A systematic literature review and research agenda," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    15. Beau Warbroek & Thomas Hoppe & Frans Coenen & Hans Bressers, 2018. "The Role of Intermediaries in Supporting Local Low-Carbon Energy Initiatives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-28, July.
    16. Sıdıka Ece Yılmaz & Hasan Yildizhan & Cihan Yıldırım & Chuang-Yao Zhao & João Gomes & Tarik Alkharusi, 2023. "The Drivers and Barriers of the Solar Water Heating Entrepreneurial System: A Cost–Benefit Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-20, October.
    17. Maqbool, Rashid, 2018. "Efficiency and effectiveness of factors affecting renewable energy projects; an empirical perspective," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 944-956.
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