Globally, climate change has a significant influence on human well-being and interaction. Current societal reliance on fossil fuels must be reduced through a transition to renewable energy. The Netherlands is poised to be a global leader in this transition. Local communities in the northern province of Friesland - residents, farmers, fishermen, and local energy companies - are often forgotten in this discussion. The proposed project seeks to provide benefits for both the residents and municipal governments of Friesland towards regional electric self-sufficiency.

The proposed project views the province in three different areas, the North Sea, Wadden Sea, and mainland Friesland, based upon unique ecological characteristics. These areas are accordingly assessed through three themes: energy production, ecological stewardship, and local engagement. Adherence to theoretical research of ecological stewardship, self-sufficiency from energy production, local engagement spurred through urbanization, and multilevel governance throughout the energy transition helped to facilitate discourse and direction throughout the proposed project. When contextualized through the conceptual framework, each theoretical component is given spatial gravity: energy production and self-sufficiency in the North Sea, ecological stewardship of the ever-important Wadden Sea, local engagement through urbanization of five Frisian cities that couples with a multilevel governance framework that values bottom-up approaches.

While Friesland is one of the most energy-poor provinces in the country, it also has many geographical advantages that can play host to renewable energy transition including vast areas for wind, solar, and tidal energies production potential. The proposed project seeks to provide regional self-sufficiency, to the benefit of the province’s residents and municipal governments. Various stakeholder identities have shaped the project to incorporate needs for a multitude of communities at all scales. The proposed project culminates in a unified vision with a plethora of action cards that are implemented in various contexts in different phases.