• Energy Research

This article positions collective renewable energy prosumerism as a social movement that engages in energy system transformation. Collective renewable energy prosumer initiatives engage in ‘prefigurative’ work through their discursive framings (ways of thinking), their activities (ways of doing) and their understanding and enactment of social relations (ways of organising). The core of this article is a comparative analysis of the prefigurative work of 13 collective prosumers from 7 European countries (Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom). The article discusses their contributions to energy system trans- formation, including renewable energy production, different mechanisms for involving citizens, local value creation, and the degree of desired and actual collab-oration and networking within broader prosumer ecosystems. We then discuss these contributions against societal discourses and expectations towards prosumerism, such as energy democracy, energy justice, and environmental sustainability and decarbonisation. This reveals three tensions: 1) a focus on decarbonisation but not on broader environmental problems, 2) the involvement of certain people and not of others, and 3) the building of prosumer eco-systems while ignoring incumbency. Future research avenues are formulated to conclude the article.

Mit Hilfe der vorliegenden Untersuchung soll ein Beitrag zur Frage der Systemintegration von grostechnischen Energiespeichern geschaffen werden. Es wird erarbeitet, ob und wie die Wasserstrasen Deutschlands zu diesem Zweck genutzt werden konnen. Zunachst werden – in einer ersten Grundlagenbetrachtung – die Bundeswasserstrasen systematisch auf ihre Tauglichkeit zur Energiespeicherung durchleuchtet. Eine wesentliche Rolle hierbei spielt neben der technischen auch die hydromechanische Realisierung des Speicherprozesses sowie die Vor- und Nachteile der Bundeswasserstrasen im Vergleich zu konventionellen Pumpspeicherkraftwerken. Die Darstellung und Klassifizierung der zur potenziellen Nutzung verfugbaren Kanalabschnitte der Bundeswasserstrasen ermoglicht dabei einen Uberblick der speichertauglichen Systeme. Eine eigens konzipierte Speichersimulation anhand eines Anwendungsbeispiels weist die Fahigkeit des „Energiespeichers Bundeswasserstrasen“ zum Ausgleich von Lastschwankungen und zur zeitlichen Verschiebung des Energiedargebots theoretisch nach. Dies geschieht mit Hilfe des Simulationsprogrammes Matlab auf der Grundlage von synthetischen Last- und Einspeiseprofilen. Abschliesend werden an den Beispielen der Schachtschleusengruppe Uelzen und des Doppelsenkrecht-Schiffshebewerkes Scharnebeck entwickelte Umrustungsvarianten erlautert, technisch abstrahiert, wirtschaftlich untersucht und in Kombination mit alternativen Erzeugungsanlagen in Form eines virtuellen Kraftwerkes simuliert. Die Formulierung detaillierter, weiterfuhrender Ansatze und die Kalkulation moglicher Einsatzszenarien stehen dabei im Vordergrund.

Abstract High Temperature Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (HT-ATES) has developed from a demonstration stage to a mature technology over the past decades. The specific storage capacity costs are lower by a factor of 20 compared to above-ground storage systems. Depending on geology, system configuration and temperature level, medium deep aquifers (approx. 400 m – 1,000 m) enable seasonal heat storage from 1 GWh/a up to 100 GWh/a. Typical heat recovery factors are in between 60 – 80 %. However, only three systems have been built and reached normal operation in Europe. Moreover, although substantial parts of the subsurface in Germany, for example, are suitable for ATES systems, over 10 years have passed since the most recent project has been put into operation. Despite substantial advantages and a great potential of bridging the gap between constant production and seasonally varying demand, ATES is quite complex and conditional. Critical hydro-geological conditions (e.g. permeability, porosity, mineralisation) as well as relevant ordinances and regulations from the mining and local water authorities should be complied with. In addition, geothermal projects are not always supported by public acceptance as drilling boreholes today is a sensitive and emotional topic. This contribution deals with an interdisciplinary approach to evaluate all parameters (geology, legal classification, public acceptance, water chemistry, applications/revenue models and drilling technology) affecting a cost-effective operation of ATES systems in North Germany. One main objective is to identify possible locations for ATES in the North German Basin and to derive generalizable success factors. Preliminary results and an overview of the project supported by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy are presented. The project consortium consists of Leuphana University of Luneburg and GeoDienste GmbH, supported by GeoEnergy Celle e.V.

Community energy actors play an important role in the energy transition, fostering the diffusion of sustainable innovation in the renewable energy market. Because market conditions for business models in the renewable energy sector are changing and feed-in-tariff (FiT) schemes expiring, community energy companies are in the process of innovating their business models. In recent years, several community energy companies in Germany have entered the electricity retail market selling locally generated electricity from their renewable energy installations to customers in their region. We explore the evolving regional electricity business models for community energy companies in Germany, related governance structures, and the role they play for a sustainable energy transition. In order to implement these complex business models, community energy companies cooperate with professional marketing partners (intermediaries), which are capable of taking over the tasks and obligations of electricity suppliers. Through a series of expert interviews and desk research, we identify three distinctive regional electricity business models and examine opportunities and challenges to their implementation. Results show that there are different forms of cooperation, leading to specific governance structures and creating a set of new value propositions. Through these forms of cooperation, business networks emerge, which can function as incubators for sustainable innovation and learning for the post-FiT era.

Community energy has become an increasingly important issue in academia and in energy policy circles worldwide. Citizens jointly investing in and operating renewable energy installations have played an essential role in countries such as Germany or Denmark. Building on and extending previous studies, we collect survey data on investment motives for a stratified random sample of German community energy companies. Structural variables are selected using a socio-ecological-technical systems framework. This study aims to identify differences within the community energy sector to better understand investment behaviour and the effects of policy changes. Despite the small sample coverage at the individual member level, the preliminary results of this study suggest that, first, community energy forms a specific type of social investment and that, second, there are significant differences between community energy companies, especially regarding the assessment of the return motive. This motive plays a more prominent role in limited partnerships than in cooperatives and for community wind than for companies focusing on solar or biomass. While these and other factors are highly interrelated, our data indicate that the social setting and geographical and climatic conditions are the critical ones here. These findings may guide further research.

Up to $61trillion of power systems investment is needed to fulfil the Paris Agreement. The mobilisation of so much capital is a huge challenge. As such, energy policy is changing to meet the needs of commercial finance. However, very little has been done to question the justice implications of this capital mobilisation, and what alternatives there are to commercially-oriented finance for low carbon energy systems. This paper uses a comparative analysis of two developed economies to explore how ‘alternative’ forms of finance operate in each nation’s energy investment landscape. We find alternative finance is often set in opposition to commercial capital. Alternative finance in both nations is motivated by financial justice outcomes that are poorly understood in current energy policy. Our findings suggest that 6 principles are key to ‘just’ energy finance: affordability, good governance, due process, intra-generational equity, spatial equity, and financial resilience. Energy policy that seeks to mobilise capital, should take account of all six principles.

The document includes the main results of the Benefits project, funded by the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection under grant numbers 03EI5203A-C (here: version with small corrections). The joint project aimed at 1) Identifying forms, scopes, motives and obstacles of financial participation by citizens and municipalities, 2) Analyzing determinants of geographical and socio-economic distribution/inclusiveness of the participation of citizens and municipalities and its effectiveness for the transformation process as well as the underlying social mechanisms, 3) Developing strategies in a transdisciplinary design to win citizens and municipalities for financial participation in the energy transition ("mobilization strategies"), which will be transferred into practice together with associations and energy and climate protection agencies. This should improve the data basis for analyses differentiated by forms of financial participation. The data will be made available for subsequent research work. Based on the scientific analyses in step (2), practicable concepts were developed together with practitioners. Consortium partner Fördergesellschaft Erneuerbare Energien finished its part earlier and has submitted a separate final report on its work.