A stakeholder-based approach for the sustainable deployment of renewable energies in conflictual social contexts

For a sustainable energy transition, concepts are needed that can map the techno-economic, socio-ecological, spatial and temporal complexity of regional site decisions for renewable energies (RE). Remarkable in this respect is that so far hardly any knowledge is available on how to design a computer-based methodological approach that precisely analyses and reflects the individual positions of the regional actors of the energy transition and visualises them with respect to the specificity of the actor-related land use interests. Our study therefore aims to analyse the complex interactions between the diverse competing land use claims. The central thesis is that a sustainable deployment of RE has to address in particular the communication processes between actors of the energy transition. Hence, we aim to capture the specific perspectives of certain stakeholders on the expansion of renewable energies. In doing so, we want to visualise the results by means of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in such a way that they can be understood by each stakeholder or citizen and subsequently allow a constructive debate on the suitability of certain areas for the RE expansion. Favourable and unfavourable renewable energy sites cannot be generalised from the outset, rather they are linked to the interests, values and norms of the actors (e.g. cost minimisation, sustainability, land use efficiency, landscape aesthetics).

In order to analyse this complex interplay of technological, economic, ecological and social parameters and to be able to carry out a standardised evaluation of a socially balanced regional renewable energy deployment, this study will introduce an innovative GIS-based methodology. Our approach helps to deal with the competing social interpretations and constructs of all regional stakeholders that strive for a sustainable energy future.