Periodic Reporting for period 2 - WinWind (Winning social acceptance for wind energy in wind energy scarce regions)
Berichtszeitraum: 2019-01-01 bis 2020-03-31
The overall objective of WinWind was to enhance the socially inclusive and environmentally sound market uptake of wind energy by increasing its social acceptance in 'wind energy scarce regions' (WESR). WESR are defined as regions with wind energy penetration levels that are lower than the EU average, despite having considerable economic potentials. The project has selected a number of target regions including Saxony and Thuringia in Germany, Latium and Abruzzo in Italy, Latvia, Norway, the Warmian-Masurian Province in Poland and the Balearic Islands in Spain. Within these regions, assessments were carried out on the conditions, barriers and drivers affecting social acceptance of wind energy.
WinWind pursued the following specific objectives:
1) identification and assessment of region-specific barriers and social acceptance challenges in selected target regions constraining market deployment;
2) evaluation of legal, institutional and political drivers and barriers for social acceptance and support at community, regional, national and European level;
3) development of a taxonomy of social acceptance barriers and drivers in the target regions;
4) assessment and knowledge-building about social and environmental impacts of wind energy including community benefits, taking into account regional specificities, socioeconomic, spatial and environmental aspects;
5) identification and assessment of best practice policies and measures and novel governance mechanisms in the selected six countries and beyond, enhancing social acceptance
6) analysis of critical success factors of novel governance mechanisms in community engagement and assessment of the necessary conditions for their transfer and uptake in other contexts;
7) engagement with nationa/regional stakeholders to transfer knowledge about social and environmental impacts of wind energy and initiate a transfer of suitable measures and concepts within and between the partner countries and WESR (“learning laboratories”);
8) development of guiding principles and criteria for fair (i.e. socially inclusive and environmentally sound) wind energy as a guide for policy development taking into account innovative bottom-up initiatives in selected MS, accompanied by a strategy for implementation;
9) creation and engagement in a dialogue between WinWind desks and EU stakeholders to assess how policy relevant initiatives at the country level (e.g. fair wind labels) can be adapted to the EU level to accelerate social acceptance, community participation and citizens´ engagement in wind energy;
10) facilitation of policy learning within each partner country and target regions and among the countries and regions to contribute to improving national and regional policy as well as planning frameworks to improve community participation and engagement.
By the end of the project all objectives have been reached and some of them were even outperformed (7-10).
The workflow was based on the following steps:
1) Analysis of social acceptance drivers and barriers in the target regions; 2) Good/Best practice analysis; 3) Best practice transfer; 4) Lessons learnt and policy recommendations.
In parallel to these, the consortium organised stakeholder dialogues via country specific stakeholder desks, thematic workshops and stakeholder consultations. The six country desks were important vehicles in ensuring broad stakeholder participation through regular and solution-oriented stakeholder dialogues. Each desk consisted of the project partners and at least 15 selected stakeholders and market actors (including developers, investors, community energy groups, associations, local and regional authorities, policy-makers, NGOs) of each country or target region.
WinWind pursued the following specific objectives:
1) identification and assessment of region-specific barriers and social acceptance challenges in selected target regions constraining market deployment;
2) evaluation of legal, institutional and political drivers and barriers for social acceptance and support at community, regional, national and European level;
3) development of a taxonomy of social acceptance barriers and drivers in the target regions;
4) assessment and knowledge-building about social and environmental impacts of wind energy including community benefits, taking into account regional specificities, socioeconomic, spatial and environmental aspects;
5) identification and assessment of best practice policies and measures and novel governance mechanisms in the selected six countries and beyond, enhancing social acceptance
6) analysis of critical success factors of novel governance mechanisms in community engagement and assessment of the necessary conditions for their transfer and uptake in other contexts;
7) engagement with nationa/regional stakeholders to transfer knowledge about social and environmental impacts of wind energy and initiate a transfer of suitable measures and concepts within and between the partner countries and WESR (“learning laboratories”);
8) development of guiding principles and criteria for fair (i.e. socially inclusive and environmentally sound) wind energy as a guide for policy development taking into account innovative bottom-up initiatives in selected MS, accompanied by a strategy for implementation;
9) creation and engagement in a dialogue between WinWind desks and EU stakeholders to assess how policy relevant initiatives at the country level (e.g. fair wind labels) can be adapted to the EU level to accelerate social acceptance, community participation and citizens´ engagement in wind energy;
10) facilitation of policy learning within each partner country and target regions and among the countries and regions to contribute to improving national and regional policy as well as planning frameworks to improve community participation and engagement.
By the end of the project all objectives have been reached and some of them were even outperformed (7-10).
The workflow was based on the following steps:
1) Analysis of social acceptance drivers and barriers in the target regions; 2) Good/Best practice analysis; 3) Best practice transfer; 4) Lessons learnt and policy recommendations.
In parallel to these, the consortium organised stakeholder dialogues via country specific stakeholder desks, thematic workshops and stakeholder consultations. The six country desks were important vehicles in ensuring broad stakeholder participation through regular and solution-oriented stakeholder dialogues. Each desk consisted of the project partners and at least 15 selected stakeholders and market actors (including developers, investors, community energy groups, associations, local and regional authorities, policy-makers, NGOs) of each country or target region.
The main outputs and results of the project are:
• A report on the technical and socio-economic starting conditions in WESR assessing the socio-economic, geographic and topographical conditions as well as issues influencing the technical feasibility of wind power;
• A scientific literature review (included in the report on starting conditions)
• A taxonomy of social acceptance barriers and drivers that was updated in M25 ;
• A consolidated summary report of all desk activities in the target regions which highlights the findings of the regular country desk meetings, thematic workshops and policy roundtables;
• A good/best practice portfolio encompassing 30 cases;
• A Synthesis Report on 10 transferable best practices and corresponding in-depth cases studies;
• List of transfer measures & management plans;
• 6 transfer workshops summary report;
• 5 validated transfer & adaptation concepts;
• A Transfer Guide;
• A Screening Report;
• EU Policy Round Table Résumé;
• Principles & Criteria for fair & acceptable wind energy;
• Policy Input Paper for EU Policy Roundtable;
• Recommendations for policy;
• A Handbook for Socially Inclusive Wind Energy in English and the six languages of the consortium;
• Project flyers in English and the six languages of the consortium;
• 4 policy briefs, 4 fact sheets and 4 e-newsletters;
• Regular newsletters from the country desks in the respective languages (add-on activity);
• Three published articles in German technical journals;
• Three published articles in peer reviewed scientific journals;
• The interactive tool Pocket WinWind;
• Proceedings of the final conference.
The website will be maintained for three years. Updates will focus on developments in related policy areas. Continued communication will focus on the most exploitable results: Project Handbook, Transfer Guide, Policy Recommendations and Guiding Principles & Criteria for Fair Wind Energy as well as the Policy Briefs and Factsheets created on their basis. The local ties established in the stakeholder desks are still being fostered and are going to play a central role in the upcoming COME RES project on Community Energy, where a large part of the consortium will be involved.
• A report on the technical and socio-economic starting conditions in WESR assessing the socio-economic, geographic and topographical conditions as well as issues influencing the technical feasibility of wind power;
• A scientific literature review (included in the report on starting conditions)
• A taxonomy of social acceptance barriers and drivers that was updated in M25 ;
• A consolidated summary report of all desk activities in the target regions which highlights the findings of the regular country desk meetings, thematic workshops and policy roundtables;
• A good/best practice portfolio encompassing 30 cases;
• A Synthesis Report on 10 transferable best practices and corresponding in-depth cases studies;
• List of transfer measures & management plans;
• 6 transfer workshops summary report;
• 5 validated transfer & adaptation concepts;
• A Transfer Guide;
• A Screening Report;
• EU Policy Round Table Résumé;
• Principles & Criteria for fair & acceptable wind energy;
• Policy Input Paper for EU Policy Roundtable;
• Recommendations for policy;
• A Handbook for Socially Inclusive Wind Energy in English and the six languages of the consortium;
• Project flyers in English and the six languages of the consortium;
• 4 policy briefs, 4 fact sheets and 4 e-newsletters;
• Regular newsletters from the country desks in the respective languages (add-on activity);
• Three published articles in German technical journals;
• Three published articles in peer reviewed scientific journals;
• The interactive tool Pocket WinWind;
• Proceedings of the final conference.
The website will be maintained for three years. Updates will focus on developments in related policy areas. Continued communication will focus on the most exploitable results: Project Handbook, Transfer Guide, Policy Recommendations and Guiding Principles & Criteria for Fair Wind Energy as well as the Policy Briefs and Factsheets created on their basis. The local ties established in the stakeholder desks are still being fostered and are going to play a central role in the upcoming COME RES project on Community Energy, where a large part of the consortium will be involved.
WinWind built upon previous European initiatives, but has the ambition to go beyond them. It did so by addressing existing research gaps and strengthening empirical research on community participation and engagement measures, as well as governance mechanisms, taking into account contextual factors in different (regional and national) settings. WinWind
• developed guiding principles and criteria for socially inclusive wind energy development, serving also as a policy compass, taking into account experiences from innovative bottom-up initiatives;
• identified, disseminated, accommodated, validate and, where feasible, transferred best practice measures to wind energy scarce regions (“learning laboratories”) in Europe;These transfers culminated in 4 signed cooperations agreements (Memoranda of Understanding)
• fed the project findings into actual policy and planning processes at EU, national, regional and local level.
WinWind has enjoyed increasing political recognition in all participating countries. The partners have been invited by national/regional policy makers to provide input and recommendations to ongoing policy formulation processes, including the NECPs, regional energy strategies etc. (Germany, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Poland and Spain).
One of the greatest legacies of the project are the transfer processes and collaborations between regions kicked-off during the project. Four Memoranda of Understanding have been signed and mentoring experts will keep following-up with the processes on a needs basis.
• developed guiding principles and criteria for socially inclusive wind energy development, serving also as a policy compass, taking into account experiences from innovative bottom-up initiatives;
• identified, disseminated, accommodated, validate and, where feasible, transferred best practice measures to wind energy scarce regions (“learning laboratories”) in Europe;These transfers culminated in 4 signed cooperations agreements (Memoranda of Understanding)
• fed the project findings into actual policy and planning processes at EU, national, regional and local level.
WinWind has enjoyed increasing political recognition in all participating countries. The partners have been invited by national/regional policy makers to provide input and recommendations to ongoing policy formulation processes, including the NECPs, regional energy strategies etc. (Germany, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Poland and Spain).
One of the greatest legacies of the project are the transfer processes and collaborations between regions kicked-off during the project. Four Memoranda of Understanding have been signed and mentoring experts will keep following-up with the processes on a needs basis.