Diverse Participation Adds Value: Findings from the Research Project “BePart – Quo va-dis, Beteiligung?”

Public participation in the energy transition can take many forms, from intensive communication – through regular workshops and newsletters, for example – to the financial involvement of citizens and municipalities, and ultimately to regional value creation, benefitting communities and local economies. This diverse toolkit allows for flexible, needs-based approaches to developing wind, solar and transmission grid projects at the local level. This is especially important now, as the transi-tion to sustainability faces challenges like conflicting goals, local tensions, and the urgent need to meet climate targets. A key question for both public debate and academic research is: What impact can different participation methods truly have on the ongoing energy transition? 

This question was investigated as part of the BePart research project (2023-2025). The project was conducted by the Research Institute for Sustainability in collaboration with the ECOLOG Institute, Bündnis Bürgerenergie e.V., and the Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI). The final report, published in September 2025, is available for download here (in German). At the project’s closing event on 11 September, experts from community energy, project development, and grid operators came together to discuss the results and their practical implications.        

Keynotes by Claudia Kemfert (German Institute for Economic Research) and Michael Krieger, and a lively panel discussion highlighted the key success factors for the energy transition: transparency, trust, good timing, and the involvement of local communities. 

In her keynote, Claudia Kemfert stressed the importance of driving the energy transition at the local level. She highlighted opportunities for decentralized grid relief through energy storage infra-structure, streamlined procedures, and increased support for citizen energy projects as crucial lev-ers for success. She also cautioned against the risks posed by current policy decisions – particularly the costs of inaction – and called for greater flexibility and cross-sectoral solutions to ensure plan-ning and supply security. Finally, she underscored the need for a socially equitable climate policy that actively includes and empowers marginalized groups.

In his keynote speech, Michael Krieger illustrated with practical examples that participation is crucial for the success of the energy transition. He also highlighted a critical paradox: as projects progress, the desire of citizens to engage grows, even as their actual ability to influence outcomes diminishes.
 

This tension is also reflected in the findings of the BePart project, which specifically considered the role of timing. The project’s extensive use of surveying revealed that participation does not delay the energy transition overall and that early involvement can foster a positive public perception. Financial participation by both citizens and local authorities — already widespread in Brandenburg through regulations like the Wind Energy Levy Act — was identified as a key enabler.

The panel discussion brought together diverse practitioners, who agreed that participation is crucial for successful project development. However, participants emphasized that financial participation alone is insufficient; trust, communication, timing, and a sensitive approach to emotions are equally important.
 

Katrin Bender (wpd GmbH) emphasized that lengthy project timelines are primarily caused by ap-proval processes and inconsistent regulations, not by public participation. Understanding local communities and choosing the right time to engage is crucial. While financial participation can be supportive, it is only one factor in building success. 

Matthias Bölt (Mayor of Havelberg) emphasized that meaningful participation fosters trust and must address both rational and emotional dimensions. “The municipality: that’s us citizens,” he stated, stressing the need to transparently communicate how municipal income benefits local peo-ple. He explained that genuine resonance comes not from small payments, but from true co-design, transparency, and a sense of ownership in projects. 

Mirco Sieg (NRW.Energy4Climate) explained the NRW Citizens' Energy Participation Act, which pro-vides local authorities with a flexible "toolbox" to enable genuine local participation – including foundation models, subsidized electricity tariffs, and subordinated loans. The law has been posi-tively received and actively utilised.

Christoph Hüls (Bürgerenergieverbund Steinfurt) presented a “real community wind energy” initia-tive in Steinfurt District, where citizens participate as limited partners, following established guide-lines. This model ensures a greater share of the added value remains within the municipality, links sustainability to agriculture, and utilizes local wind advisory centres to support implementation. 

Christopher Göpfert (TransnetBW) emphasized that grid expansion projects are often viewed criti-cally, primarily due to their impact on the landscape. Unlike other energy projects, there is no fi-nancial participation involved. The question is not whether to expand grid infrastructure – as this is legally mandated – but how best to do it. Informal participation streamlines planning processes and makes decisions more transparent. Communicating the overall benefits repeatedly is key, and underground cabling is generally more accepted than overground lines.

Many of these aspects are reflected in the BePart report, which highlights the added value of participation in wind, ground-mounted solar and transmission grid projects, and offers concrete recommendations.