Gaining new traction for the energy transition: Participation and acceptance as drivers of change

The current transformation process is leading to changes. The success of the energy transition depends not only on the development of technically necessary innovations, but also on how people accept these technologies and actively participate in them. Participation and acceptance are often mentioned keywords. But what can they mean in practice?

The FfE is addressing issues related to social acceptance and participation in the context of the energy system in various projects. In general, these can be subdivided into acceptance and user research, participation and the areas of communication, dialog and networking (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: FfE activities in the area of social acceptance and participation in the context of the energy system

Acceptance of the energy transition usually occurs when its purpose and the accompanying measures are understood and supported. Without this support, even the best technical solutions can face resistance and ultimately fail. Acceptance requires trust in the actors involved and enables changes to be implemented more smoothly and quickly. Through targeted user research, attitudes and preferences towards new technologies can be investigated.

Participatory engagement takes this a step further. It encourages citizens to be actively involved in the transformation process. This can be done through citizen consultations, public discussions or local projects. Participation not only promotes understanding and thus acceptance, but also introduces new ideas and perspectives that can enrich and improve the entire process. The FfE paper on participation in the context of the energy system provides an overview of forms of participation.

Communication, dialog, and networking are key elements for acceptance and participation. Open and transparent communication can avoid misunderstandings and build trust. An ongoing dialog between all stakeholders – from citizens and companies to political decision-makers – ensures that different perspectives are taken into account and that viable solutions are developed together. Networking creates the basis for exchanging knowledge and experiences and for utilizing synergies among the stakeholders in order to advance the energy transition more efficiently and effectively.

What we can do for you:

The aim of acceptance and user research is to clarify current attitudes and to derive appropriate recommendations for action. At the FfE, we apply established models and research methods to specific areas of interest and on this basis develop strategies for application in the context of the energy transition.

In the area of acceptance and user research, we cover the following expertise:

Survey of acceptance of certain processes or technologies (e.g. on the use of inductive charging infrastructure in public transport in the “ELINA” research project, see Figure 2)
Identification of factors influencing user acceptance (e.g. thesis on the acceptance of smart charging from the real-world laboratory for electric mobility “unIT-e²”)
Identification of incentive mechanisms and derivation of recommendations for further communication, action or technology design (see article Incentive mechanisms for acceptance and participation in a field trial)
Concepts for promoting acceptance (e.g. expansion of wind energy in Bavaria, project of the New-European Bauhaus Initiative

Abbildung 2: Fahrgastbefragung zur Technologieakzeptanz induktiver Ladetechnologie im ÖPNV

To support the implementation of participation, we offer:

Participation concepts for acquiring and accompanying participants in field trials and real-world laboratories (e.g. for citizen participation in the digital energy system)
Formats for hosting participatory events
Conducting surveys to determine participant satisfaction and deriving recommendations for action (e.g. publication on success factors for participation in local energy projects)

In the areas of communication, dialog and networking, our portfolio includes:

Organizing citizen dialogs (e.g. in the field trial of the SINTEG project C/sells)
Stakeholder workshops and support of transformation processes in municipalities (e.g. research project “ZuSkE – The future of sector coupling at the municipal level”)
Organization and support of networks for transformation processes in companies and municipalities (see portfolio of energy efficiency, climate protection and decarbonization networks of the FfE)

Abbildung 3: Stakeholder-Workshop zur kommunalen Sektorkopplung im Projekt „ZuSkE“

Further information:

We can also support you in actively involving stakeholders in the transformation process? Get in touch!