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2013
Conference Paper
Titel
Transition of energy systems in small and medium sized communities
Abstract
Communities play an important role in the planning, management and realisation of long-term energy transition processes. The transition of energy systems towards more sustainable and secure energy supply solutions has to be solved on local and regional level. Next to the challenges we face in large agglomeration areas the potentials of the countless small and medium sized communities have to be used to achieve the overall targets. In the highly urbanized countries of central Europe the majority of inhabitants live in towns and communities smaller than 100,000 inhabitants. The communal stakeholders are an important link between political ambitions and the practical needs of local economy and residents. The paper follows the hypothesis that only if these stakeholders realise the chances of an increased use of local energy resources and efficiency potentials a broad energy transition will become feasible. The necessary steps from creating a political vision towards renewable and sustainable energy supply to the implementation of effective measures for a long-term system change are not a defined agenda and can be approached from different angles. Being mostly laymen in energy issues, there is support and strategic development needed to support and enable ambitious projects in this sector. The paper presents approaches and experiences from transition projects in small and medium sized communities and follows their successes and barriers. Examples from the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany show how the path of energy transition can be approached. The systematic analysis of core success factors in transition organisation and tools enable the implementation of efficiency and renewable energy production technologies and enable the transfer of knowledge and experience.