Authors: Sioned Haf and Rosie Robison.
The aim of this report is to consider how Local Authorities can better engage with publics as a part of the energy transition in a meaningful way and support the active participation of citizens in energy systems and the energy transition. The report has been informed by Social Science and Humanities literature as a means of recognising that the energy transition is not merely a technological transition, but a social one.
Local Authorities’ role in the energy transition and working with their citizens in doing so, has been recognised as crucial to paving transition paths. Material collated within this report is intended to better inform Energy Cities and its partners, Local Authorities and Municipalities, civil society groups and others interested in how citizens can be supported and encouraged to participate in energy system developments as a part of the energy transition. The findings in this report are therefore intended to directly help Local Authorities across Europe in implementing more participative approaches to their governance practices in energy systems.
Throughout this report, we show that the relationship between Local Authorities and citizens is crucial in encouraging a more collaborative approach to the energy transition. The relationship between Local Authorities and their citizens, however, needs much more emphasis, in order to realise and develop the possibilities of collaborative approaches in the energy transition. Cooperation also needs to be viewed as a longitudinal process, where citizens are co-designers and co-deliverers of energy projects.