Energy autarky: A conceptual framework for sustainable regional development

Müller, Matthias Otto; Stämpfli, Adrian; Dold, Ursula; Hammer, Thomas

doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2011.04.019

Cited by 139 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Several regions in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria promote the idea of regional energy autarky, which is conceptualized as fully relying on internal resources to satisfy their energy demands. The comparison of these cases revealed that a strong motive of the initiators has been to strengthen the local economy and to reduce the dependencies on external imports of resources (Müller et al, 2011;Schmidt et al, 2012). Engelken et al (2016) came to a similar conclusion.…”

Section: The Psychological Facets Of Autarky Aspirationsupporting

confidence: 52%

“…The desire to generate energy in an independent, self-determinant, and self-sufficient way appears to be a crucial factor in achieving acceptance and commitment. Autarky has been conceptually linked to a variety of psychological constructs such as individuals pursuit of independence (Jager, 2006;Leenheer et al, 2011;Müller et al, 2011;Schmidt et al, 2012;Valkering et al, 2014;Römer et al, 2015;Engelken et al, 2016), autonomy (Fischer, 2004;Späth and Rohracher, 2010;Rae and Bradley, 2012), self-sufficiency (Fischer, 2004;Späth and Rohracher, 2010;Leenheer et al, 2011;Müller et al, 2011;Rae and Bradley, 2012;Schmidt et al, 2012;Römer et al, 2015;Brosig and Waffenschmidt, 2016;Engelken et al, 2016), security of supply (Rae and Bradley, 2012;Römer et al, 2015), and power of control (Fischer, 2004;Valkering et al, 2014). Römer et al (2015) revealed that the affinity toward autarky and the customers' concern about the security of supply are strong factors influencing the intention to purchase small-scale electricity storage systems.…”

Section: The Psychological Facets Of Autarky Aspirationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Promoting Decentralized Sustainable Energy Systems in Different Supply Scenarios: The Role of Autarky Aspiration

2017

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The development of decentralized renewable energy systems is of crucial importance for the decarbonization of energy generation worldwide. Purchase decisions regarding innovative energy systems depend to some extent on consumers' perception of the systems' degree of autarky. We assumed that, in addition to the energetic perspective, consumers associate other non-energetic facets such as independence, autonomy, self-sufficiency, or control with the concept of autarky. These psychological facets of autarky were expected to contribute to purchase decisions. In Study 1, participants (N = 168) evaluated three future energy supply scenarios. The scenarios varied regarding their range of autarky (household/neighborhood/small town), but the individually realized degree of energetic autarky did not vary. Participants reported a higher willingness to pay in connection with a higher perceived psychological autarky for the Household Scenario. Study 1's findings were confirmed by Study 2, in which qualitative interviews (N = 13) also revealed that participants favored the Household Scenario on several points. These evaluations were driven by the anticipated psychological facets of autarky that is the subjective perception of being independent, autonomous, self-sufficient, energy secure, and of control. To promote an adoption of renewable energy systems, these psychological autarky facets need to be addressed. Enabling the people to self-determine, control, and secure their energy provision even in complex organizational settings in such a manner is likely to increase their acceptance and therefore foster the required social transition as a whole.

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Section: The Psychological Facets Of Autarky Aspirationsupporting

confidence: 52%

Section: The Psychological Facets Of Autarky Aspirationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Promoting Decentralized Sustainable Energy Systems in Different Supply Scenarios: The Role of Autarky Aspiration

2017

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“…However, their primary focus is not the process of change itself, but to identify the strategies for municipal authorities that are helpful to initiate and manage local processes of change. The same holds true for the conceptual framework presented by Müller et al [30]. They developed a roadmap for implementing renewable energy self-sufficiency in a region, which is defined by the steps: initialization and preparation, analysis, strategic decisions, planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation.…”

Section: Positioning and Starting Point Of Our Researchmentioning

confidence: 94%

Moving towards Energy Self-Sufficiency Based on Renewables: Comparative Case Studies on the Emergence of Regional Processes of Socio-Technical Change in Germany

Hauber

Ruppert-Winkel

2012

Sustainability

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The change of conventional energy systems to a system mainly based on renewable energies is occurring in many parts of the world. A processual analysis of three case studies from regions in Germany that are moving towards renewable energy self-sufficiency were conducted in order to better understand this process of socio-technical change. This paper scrutinizes the role of actors and their activities, which are driving the change of the local energy system. Three discrete distinguishable phases of this change were found: pioneer phase, pivotal network phase, and extended network and emerging market dynamic phase. Each phase can be characterized by the type of actor, their specific activities, artifacts involved, and their underlying motives. We suggest using the phase model as a heuristic instrument to identify the elements which shape socio-technical change.

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“…Whereas there are interesting examples of an implementation of regional sustainable energy systems for relatively small and rural settings [1], integration of large consumers such as industrial plants as well as the supply for larger urban centres still remains a problem to be solved on a larger scale [2]. Utilisation of renewable resources as a base for the energy system will require to rethink the interaction between spatial planning, energy technologies and distribution grids [3] leading to the need of tailor-made solutions that take the individual context of the region into account.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimal renewable energy systems for industries in rural regions

Maier

Gemenetzi

2014

Energ Sustain Soc

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Background: Energy systems for smart regions will require on the one hand a much higher share of renewable energy sources for heat and electricity and on the other hand a high standard integration of industry and utilities supplying households and businesses. As energy options become more diverse, integration of industry into the energy provision for settlements and vice versa become important from an economic and ecological point of view. A particular problem is the supply of bio-energy to large industrial complexes as this requires considerable efforts to manage resource provision as well as constructing smart systems to utilise available resources without posing direct competition to the supply of food and feed. Methods: This paper will discuss the application of Process Network Synthesis (PNS) using the P-Graph method as a tool to generate optimal energy systems supplying industry with energy based on bio-resources in the context of a rural region and small urban centre. Application of these methods to a real life case study in an industrial city in rural context (Weiz in Austria) will be discussed from the viewpoint of general lessons to be learned from the design of complex energy systems linking different energy provision sources to supply industry and residential areas in a systemic way with energy. Results: The synthesis resulted in a basic optimal solution containing the economically most feasible regional energy-technology network. Scenarios show differences in resource use and the creation of revenue. Anaerobic digestion, CHP and wood gasification appear for most of the scenarios.

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Energy autarky: A conceptual framework for sustainable regional development

Cited by 139 publications

References 30 publications

Promoting Decentralized Sustainable Energy Systems in Different Supply Scenarios: The Role of Autarky Aspiration

Promoting Decentralized Sustainable Energy Systems in Different Supply Scenarios: The Role of Autarky Aspiration

Moving towards Energy Self-Sufficiency Based on Renewables: Comparative Case Studies on the Emergence of Regional Processes of Socio-Technical Change in Germany

Optimal renewable energy systems for industries in rural regions

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