Renewable energy cooperatives

Abstract

Renewable energy projects that fail to account for the concerns of impacted communities run the risk of lowered public acceptance and criticism. As a result, participatory approaches to these projects are increasingly gaining traction. Renewable energy cooperatives (REScoops) are one way to include local citizens in project development and decision making. Although such projects are becoming popular, relatively little is known about how REScoops perform compared to commercially led projects in terms of time taken to implement projects and appeals raised throughout the process. Now, Bas Brouwer, Rutger van Bergem and colleagues from Delft University of Technology and University of Twente share insights on fourteen REScoop onshore wind energy projects in the Netherlands.

Taking a mixed-methods approach to compare REScoop and commercially led projects, the research team drew from exploratory interviews and carried out both within and cross-case analysis incorporating process tracing, coding, dataset development, and statistical analysis. The team found that REScoop projects better incorporate local engagement, information sharing, early-stage participation and take a more collective and inclusive approach to decision-making than commercially led projects. These projects also promoted greater community buy-in through emphasis on financial compensation for locals. The planning and development process was quicker and prone to fewer complaints. Outcomes from this work show that community-led initiatives may be a viable and competitive alternative to commercially led onshore wind projects.