A Solarpunk Energy Landscape

Decentralizing the Energy Transition Towards Sustainable Energy Communities

Student report (2024)

Authors

A.F.P.L. van der Nat Architecture and the Built Environment
E. Nagy Architecture and the Built Environment
E.C. de Ruiter Architecture and the Built Environment
J.M. Osusky Architecture and the Built Environment
T. Boot Architecture and the Built Environment

Contributors

N. Katsikis Urban Design - Architecture and the Built Environment (mentor)
Rodrigo Viseu Cardoso Spatial Planning and Strategy - Architecture and the Built Environment (mentor)
Faculty
Architecture and the Built Environment, Architecture and the Built Environment
More Info
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Published Date

10-04-2024

Language

English

Reuse Rights

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Faculty

Architecture and the Built Environment

Abstract

The EU Green Deal aims to ensure a socially just energy transition, but the shift towards renewable energies often replicates the centralized, top-down approach of traditional fossil fuel systems, negatively impacting rural areas. This report reimagines this paradigm by advocating for decentralized energy communities, particularly in regions experiencing the neglect often seen in ‘shadow agglomerations.’ It argues for a shift where decentralized energy production empowers both cities and rural areas, enabling them to attain energy self-sufficiency and ownership. The research uses a multicriteria analysis to explore the Eurodelta and Zeeland regions, forming a vision that supports the strategic development of energy communities in Zeeland and Rotterdam. This approach aims to facilitate a more spatially equitable and just energy transition, enabling regions overshadowed by major urban centers to become essential in achieving sustainable energy production, thereby reshaping the energy landscape towards a more distributed and participatory model.