Energy cooperatives and local ownership in the field of renewable energy technologies as social innovation processes in the energy system

Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Jubiläumsfonds)

Energy cooperatives and similar forms of local ownership in the area of renewable energy technologies can be seen as social innovations introducing new forms of socio-economic organisation of energy provision and have in some cases also played a significant role as sites for technological innovation activities. The project at hand aims to trace how actor roles, resources and strategies as well as institutional frameworks relevant to these initiatives have developed over the last years. The main focus will be on activities in Austria and Germany, though the project will also include a mainly literature-based comparison to other European countries. It will develop a conceptual framework for analysing these activities as dynamic processes and critically assess the potential of energy cooperatives and local ownership of renewable energy technologies to contribute to a shift to more sustainable systems of energy provision.