Braam, Klaasje Trynke (2022) Governing self-governance - Identifying barriers for Dutch civic solar energy co-operatives in the municipal governance approach. Master thesis.
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Abstract
The Netherlands needs to accelerate in the energy transition. Solar energy projects are considered promising. Many authorities believe that the energy transition should arrive from bottom-up. This makes Dutch civic solar energy co-operatives valuable. However, the co-operatives feel constrained. This research focusses on the relationship between civic solar energy co-operatives and their municipalities in order to tackle some of the barriers present. Theory explains that municipalities’ policies focus on the common interest. Civic solar energy co-operatives, however, are defined as self-governed organizations, arriving from outside the control of government. As a result, municipalities can constrain the individual interests of co-operatives. The relationship and interaction between municipalities and civic solar energy co-operatives is largely determined by the municipal governance approach. Traditionally, this approach was characterized as hierarchical and administering generic rules. This shows signs of the technical rational approach. Nowadays, the approach seems to have shifted more towards the communicative governance approach, which aims to facilitate valuable individual and collective initiatives more. More urbanized and wealthier municipalities are generally better able to facilitate this. They also seem to see more need to do so. Nine concrete barriers in the relationship between both parties were identified during interviews with civic solar energy co-operatives. Based on follow-up interviews with their municipalities, five of these barriers seem to be easiest to solve due to the municipalities’ willingness and ability to do so. The barriers are related to the themes governance approach, information, networking, and municipal policy. This research provides recommendations to lift these barriers.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
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| Degree programme: | Environmental & Infrastructure Planning |
| Supervisor: | Roo, G. de |
| Date Deposited: | 19 Jul 2022 14:10 |
| Last Modified: | 19 Jul 2022 14:10 |
| URI: | https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3897 |
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