Local power: exploring the motivations of mayors and key success factors for local municipalities to go 100% renewable energy

Abstract

Background: This paper investigates the decision-making processes of mayors on the municipal level in Brandenburg, Germany, to support 100% renewable energy policies as well as the respective key success factors. Three different cases and their specific settings are examined: (1) Turnow-Preilack with Germany's largest solar power plant, (2) Prenzlau, a town claiming the title 'City of Renewable Energy' and (3) the village of Feldheim, the first energy independent settlement in Germany. Methods: On the basis of exploratory site visits and interviews, the process of implementation of renewable energy is investigated. The methodology developed here is based on the 'theory of planned behaviour' which helps to visualise the individual decision-making processes of key actors. Results: Not surprisingly, many different factors influence the investigated cases. The decision-making processes must be investigated in their context that is shaped by the attitudes of mayors, the expectation of how their actions will be perceived, and the control mayors estimate to have over projects. Conclusion: The identified factors point at the key finding that the mayors first and foremost think about the 'good of their municipality'. This does not necessarily refer to economic factors but can encompass aspects such as 'strengthening community life'. More abstract factors such as climate change or contributing to the transition of the national power supply play -if at all -a minor role. Policies that aim at supporting energy transitions in similar settings should therefore shift their focus from communicating climate change mitigation to the co-benefits that ambitious renewable energy policies can bring to a community.

Green Attraction—Transnational Municipal Climate Networks and Green City Branding

“…This observation is confirmed by Busch and McCormick, who describe success cases of decentralised energy applications in German villages (Busch & McCormick, 2014). In these cases, branding was not an initial intention of climate policies, but emerged in the aftermath of successful projects.…”

“…Examples of this kind of branding can be found all over Europe, especially in places that have implemented ambitious green economy projects, e.g., renewable energy projects. Güssing (Austria), Samsö (Denmark) and Feldheim (Germany) have all invested in infrastructure to accommodate guests who want to learn about renewable energy, while Prenzlau (Germany) claims the title "city of renewable energies" (Busch & McCormick, 2014). Another example is the city of Växjö in Sweden, which tries to increase its attractiveness through promoting its eco-businesses (Emelianoff, 2013).…”

“…Technologies and policies that actually address global environmental impacts are mostly chosen for their impact on the local environment, e.g., lower emissions of pollutants or noise and health benefits that follow switching from car to bike. Alleviating climate change, it seems, is only mentioned as a bonus or something that became apparent in the ex post evaluation of projects (Busch & McCormick, 2014).…”

Technological challenges influencing the implementation of green energy in the SME sector in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN)

“…Additionally, IEA (2012) espouses that the perennial dominance of fossil based energy sources in an economy is also a critical social challenge faced in the development and diffusion of renewable energy technologies that may ensue in their low integration and uptake by SMEs. Busch and McCormick (2014) assert that there is a need by governments to harmonize renewable energy technology laws, policies and guidelines in order to divert efforts and resources towards renewable energy technologies and focusing on high potential renewable energy sources such as solar, biomass and hydropower. Furthermore, there is a need to prioritize policy implementation and monitoring by government agencies mandated with renewable energy technologies in the country to effectively create a favorable environment required for the formation of markets, mobilization of resources and creation of legitimacy for renewable energy technologies in the economy (Busch & McCormick, 2014).…”

“…Busch and McCormick (2014) assert that there is a need by governments to harmonize renewable energy technology laws, policies and guidelines in order to divert efforts and resources towards renewable energy technologies and focusing on high potential renewable energy sources such as solar, biomass and hydropower. Furthermore, there is a need to prioritize policy implementation and monitoring by government agencies mandated with renewable energy technologies in the country to effectively create a favorable environment required for the formation of markets, mobilization of resources and creation of legitimacy for renewable energy technologies in the economy (Busch & McCormick, 2014). In explaining the diffusion of renewable energy technologies, Pohl and Mulder (2013) indicate that lack of implementation of economic and regulatory instruments coupled with low per capita income are some of the challenges faced in the adoption and diffusion of renewable energy technologies.…”