Energetic Communities
Planning support for sustainable energy transition in small- and medium-sized communities
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Abstract
Small- and medium-sized communities might prove to be game-changers in the overall energy transition because many problems have to be solved within their ambit. Urban planning is dealing with the numerous processes of urban change. Energy is a fairly new task to be addressed and many stakeholders lack experience and criteria for strategic decision making. The overarching research question of this thesis is: What do decision makers in small- and medium-sized communities need to become more successful in implementing energy transition processes? For the research project this general question was broken down into four primary research questions: How can communities anchor and monitor long-term energy transition visions in their communal development plans? What tools and models are available for urban energy system analysis? How can tools and models be adapted to the specific demands and boundary conditions in the case study communities to ensure long-term implementation of appropriate technologies and measures? How does the practical implementation of the adapted tools work in the case study and what barriers must be overcome for long-term success? To answer these questions a combination of review of the current state of scientific literature of the thematic field with a practical application and evaluation of ‘real’ implementation projects was chosen.