Local Energy Transitions in Europe: From Practice to Theory

This book explores the implementation of the EU climate goals at the local and regional level. It sheds new light on local energy transition from an interdisciplinary perspective that includes spatial, economic, environmental and political aspects. Presenting several case studies of local communities across Europe, the book highlights challenges and success factors of decentralized energy transition processes in different urban systems and national contexts. Different areas of intervention are identified, including energy sharing, energy refurbishment of housing, renewable energy generation, and reduction of energy consumption in urban transport. The book explores issues such as local strategies and decision-making processes, civic engagement, urban planning, and the spatial and technical dimensions of local energy transition processes. Finally, it addresses questions of knowledge transfer in the context of local energy transition.

Hansjörg Drewello is full professor for economics at Kehl University of Applied Sciences (Germany). He is Vice-President Research and Transfer, the German Director of the European Research and Competence Center for Cluster Management and Co-Director of the French-German Master program “Management of Regional Innovation Ecosystems” at Kehl University of Applied Sciences. His research is focused on regional economics and regional transition as well as on cross-border cooperation.

Thierry Vilmin is the Director of Logiville, a private consulting firm specializing in the analysis of the urban planning and development local actors’ system. In addition to studies commissioned by local authorities or the Government, its director Thierry Vilmin has also carried out numerous systemic research work synthesized in his reference work "Urban planning, actors and system" (currently being translated into English).

Margot Pellegrino is associate professor at the Department of Urban Engineering and researcher atLab’Urba at Gustave Eiffel University, France. She has been involved and coordinates several research projects on energy transition in urban areas and particularly on the challenges of scaling up of energy renovation. She is the coordinator of the Master 2 program “Sustainable Urban Development”.