At the margins of the German energy transition: A multi-scalar analysis of tenant electricity in Berlin
(2021) SGEM08 20211Department of Human Geography
- Abstract
- Tenant electricity is heralded as a model that could accelerate the urban energy transition in Germany. The hopes are especially high in the city-state of Berlin. In this thesis, I critically analyze why tenant electricity has not fulfilled these expectations. The analysis is based on semi-structured expert interviews and the study of selected documents. Theoretical emphasis lies on the state as the facilitator of capital’s needs through the pursuit of accumulation strategies. It is complemented by a geographical approach to the political economy of energy transitions. Both perspectives are combined to serve as the theoretical groundwork for the thesis. The results reveal that tenant electricity faces multiple barriers that prevent it from... (More)
- Tenant electricity is heralded as a model that could accelerate the urban energy transition in Germany. The hopes are especially high in the city-state of Berlin. In this thesis, I critically analyze why tenant electricity has not fulfilled these expectations. The analysis is based on semi-structured expert interviews and the study of selected documents. Theoretical emphasis lies on the state as the facilitator of capital’s needs through the pursuit of accumulation strategies. It is complemented by a geographical approach to the political economy of energy transitions. Both perspectives are combined to serve as the theoretical groundwork for the thesis. The results reveal that tenant electricity faces multiple barriers that prevent it from realizing market penetration. These barriers are partly solvable through policy adjustments, which are subject to decision-making processes on the federal level. The analysis proceeds to show that the barriers are not only insufficient and addressed with little financial nor political commitment, but that the federal understanding of the role of tenant electricity in the German energy transition differs significantly from that/the one of the city of Berlin. Whereas the latter considers it to be an integral component in its quest for climate neutrality, the federal government sees tenant electricity as a tool to increase the public acceptance of the German energy transition. As a result, the federal government has no strong interest in tenant electricity as a core strategy to significantly increase the share of renewable energy sources. This lack of interest is rooted in the character of the German energy transition as an institutionalized strategy to guide capital towards new opportunities of accumulation. I find that tenant electricity is not compatible with this strategy. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9063964
- author
- Burfeind, Jelte LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- SGEM08 20211
- year
- 2021
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Tenant electricity, Energy transition, Political economy, Energy geography, Solar power, Capital accumulation, Berlin
- language
- English
- id
- 9063964
- date added to LUP
- 2021-08-27 11:24:58
- date last changed
- 2021-08-27 11:24:58
@misc{9063964,
abstract = {{Tenant electricity is heralded as a model that could accelerate the urban energy transition in Germany. The hopes are especially high in the city-state of Berlin. In this thesis, I critically analyze why tenant electricity has not fulfilled these expectations. The analysis is based on semi-structured expert interviews and the study of selected documents. Theoretical emphasis lies on the state as the facilitator of capital’s needs through the pursuit of accumulation strategies. It is complemented by a geographical approach to the political economy of energy transitions. Both perspectives are combined to serve as the theoretical groundwork for the thesis. The results reveal that tenant electricity faces multiple barriers that prevent it from realizing market penetration. These barriers are partly solvable through policy adjustments, which are subject to decision-making processes on the federal level. The analysis proceeds to show that the barriers are not only insufficient and addressed with little financial nor political commitment, but that the federal understanding of the role of tenant electricity in the German energy transition differs significantly from that/the one of the city of Berlin. Whereas the latter considers it to be an integral component in its quest for climate neutrality, the federal government sees tenant electricity as a tool to increase the public acceptance of the German energy transition. As a result, the federal government has no strong interest in tenant electricity as a core strategy to significantly increase the share of renewable energy sources. This lack of interest is rooted in the character of the German energy transition as an institutionalized strategy to guide capital towards new opportunities of accumulation. I find that tenant electricity is not compatible with this strategy.}},
author = {{Burfeind, Jelte}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{At the margins of the German energy transition: A multi-scalar analysis of tenant electricity in Berlin}},
year = {{2021}},
}