The Energy Transition in an Age of Crises

The contributions to the anthology “Energiewende nach der Zeitenwende: Energiepolitik in Zeiten der Polykrise” (The Energy Transition After the Turning Point: Energy Policy in Times of Polycrisis), edited by Jörg Radtke (Research Institute for Sustainability) and Weert Canzler (WZB Berlin Social Science Center), cover a wide range of topics: from hydrogen strategies to community financial participation through to energy social policy. The contributions argue that the energy transition is not merely a technical or economic undertaking, but a far-reaching societal transformation that intersects with social, ecological, economic, and political tensions. 

RIFS researchers make three contributions to the anthology. In the article “Die Energiewende und die soziale Frage” (The energy transition and the social question), Jörg Radtke and Weert Canzler shed light on the social dimension of the energy transition and the challenges arising from the unequal distribution of costs and benefits. The researchers show that low-income households are particularly affected by rising energy prices, while more affluent households are more likely to benefit from funding programmes and savings opportunities. They discuss various approaches to distribute burdens more fairly, including climate bonus payments, progressive energy prices and social tariffs. 

In his article “Was bedeutet die Polykrise für die partizipative Energiewende in Deutschland?“ (What does the polycrisis mean for the participatory energy transition in Germany?), Radtke describes the energy transition as a conflict-laden process of social negotiation. He emphasises that the acceptance of the energy transition depends crucially on how fairly costs and benefits are distributed. Local initiatives and community energy projects in particular play a key role here, as they not only promote decentralisation, but also strengthen the trust and support of the population. At the same time, Radtke warns that inadequate governance could exacerbate social and regional inequalities. Participatory decision-making processes could help to mediate the diverse interests and conflicting goals of the energy transition. 

In his contribution “Die Energiewende aus sozial-ökologischer und partizipativer Perspektive: Anforderungen an eine inklusive Governance” (The energy transition from a socio-ecological and participatory perspective: Towards inclusive governance), Ortwin Renn (Research Institute for Sustainability) argues that the challenges presented by a “polycrisis” of climate change, geopolitical conflicts and social inequalities can only be overcome through participatory and inclusive governance. Governance of this kind must involve diverse social actors – politics and business to civil society – in the decision-making process in order to arrive at sustainable and widely accepted solutions. Renn emphasises that inclusive governance not only strengthens the legitimacy of political decisions, but also promotes innovation. He advocates the establishment of platforms and forums that enable structured dialogue between stakeholders.

Overall, the anthology underscores that the energy transition is not merely a technological imperative, but also a collective societal endeavour. The essays offer a comprehensive overview of how the transition can succeed – even in the face of the multiple crises of our time.

Radtke, J., Canzler, W. (Hrsg.). (2025). Energiewende nach der Zeitenwende. Energiepolitik in Zeiten der Polykrise. Wiesbaden: Springer VS. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-48017-2