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Participation 3.0 in the implementation of the energy transition—Components and effectiveness of an interactive dialogue tool (Vision:En 2040)

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  • Kompetenzzentrum Naturschutz und Energiewende gGmbH
  • Kompetenzzentrum Naturschutz und Energiewende gGmbH

Abstract and Figures

The allocation of renewable energy plants, especially wind turbines, is stagnating in Germany. Although the citizens approve of the energy transition, they resist concrete local projects. In recent years, research has shown that interactive map applications support participatory planning through motivation, social interaction, and knowledge transfer. We aim to reduce biases against renewable energy (RE) and support informed decision making while accepting local responsibility. We hypothesized that finding a new gamified participation format, based on behavioral mechanisms, would strengthen the empowerment of people. To this end, we designed a dialogue tool and participation format, ’Vision:En 2040’, which combines: (i) a precise target electricity yield, (ii) an interactive map showing results of people’s actions, information about environmental impacts, and (iii) game rules which foster cooperation. In facilitated workshops, participants simulate the allocation of wind and photovoltaic power plants in their municipality to achieve a target electricity yield. The developed tool is based on methods of environmental planning and geoinformatics. ’Vision:En 2040’ was systematically tested with a technical test and a pre-test. In addition, its impact on participants was assessed through surveys and qualitative content analysis. The evaluation results show that the tool can influence the acceptance of the energy transition in terms of attitude. Through ’Vision:En 2040’, participants became aware of the community’s responsibility in the energy transition and expanded their knowledge. In addition, decision makers used the workshop results to plan RE sites. Our results indicate that ’Vision:En 2040’ is helpful for informal citizen participation in accelerating the energy transition.
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Participation 3.0 in the implementation of the
energy transition—Components and
effectiveness of an interactive dialogue tool
(Vision:En 2040)
Julia ThieleID
1
*, Julia Wiehe
2
, Christina von HaarenID
1
1Institute of Environmental Planning, Leibniz Universita
¨t Hannover, Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany,
2Department for specialist information, Kompetenzzentrum Naturschutz und Energiewende KNE gGmbH,
Berlin, Germany
*thiele@umwelt.uni-hannover.de
Abstract
The allocation of renewable energy plants, especially wind turbines, is stagnating in Ger-
many. Although the citizens approve of the energy transition, they resist concrete local proj-
ects. In recent years, research has shown that interactive map applications support
participatory planning through motivation, social interaction, and knowledge transfer. We
aim to reduce biases against renewable energy (RE) and support informed decision making
while accepting local responsibility. We hypothesized that finding a new gamified participa-
tion format, based on behavioral mechanisms, would strengthen the empowerment of peo-
ple. To this end, we designed a dialogue tool and participation format, ’Vision:En 2040’,
which combines: (i) a precise target electricity yield, (ii) an interactive map showing results
of people’s actions, information about environmental impacts, and (iii) game rules which fos-
ter cooperation. In facilitated workshops, participants simulate the allocation of wind and
photovoltaic power plants in their municipality to achieve a target electricity yield. The devel-
oped tool is based on methods of environmental planning and geoinformatics. ’Vision:En
2040’ was systematically tested with a technical test and a pre-test. In addition, its impact on
participants was assessed through surveys and qualitative content analysis. The evaluation
results show that the tool can influence the acceptance of the energy transition in terms of
attitude. Through ’Vision:En 2040’, participants became aware of the community’s responsi-
bility in the energy transition and expanded their knowledge. In addition, decision makers
used the workshop results to plan RE sites. Our results indicate that ’Vision:En 2040’ is help-
ful for informal citizen participation in accelerating the energy transition.
1. Introduction
Achieving the 1.5˚C target of the international climate change agreements (COP 21) is a global
challenge today. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
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OPEN ACCESS
Citation: Thiele J, Wiehe J, von Haaren C (2024)
Participation 3.0 in the implementation of the
energy transition—Components and effectiveness
of an interactive dialogue tool (Vision:En 2040).
PLoS ONE 19(3): e0299270. https://doi.org/
10.1371/journal.pone.0299270
Editor: Erman U
¨lker, Izmir Katip Celebi University:
Izmir Katip Celebi Universitesi, TURKEY
Received: July 26, 2023
Accepted: February 6, 2024
Published: March 4, 2024
Copyright: ©2024 Thiele et al. This is an open
access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution License, which
permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium, provided the original
author and source are credited.
Data Availability Statement: All relevant data are
within the manuscript and its Supporting
information files.
Funding: The study was funded by the project
"Local Energy Transition Dialogue" by the Ministry
of Environment, Energy and Climate Protection of
Lower Saxony (FKZ No. 80154504), https://www.
umwelt.niedersachsen.de/startseite/ - JT, JW, and
by the project "Integrating RENewable energy and
Ecosystem Services in environmental and energy
policies - IRENES" funded by the European Union,
modeling, this goal would require a net global reduction in anthropogenic carbon dioxide
(CO2) emissions of about 45% from 2010 levels by 2030 to reach net zero around 2050 [1].
Reducing CO2 emissions requires a shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy (RE). According
to the German Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), the share of electricity from renewable
sources in gross electricity consumption must increase to at least 80% by 2030 1 EEG 1,
2]). In 2021, Germany’s share of RE in gross final energy consumption was 19.2% [3]. Accord-
ingly, the share of RE must increase massively over the next eight years to meet the 2030 target
[2]. Apart from wind power, solar energy is the only sustainable energy source available in the
country on a system-relevant scale and offers a sufficiently efficient greenhouse gas reduction
balance per unit area [4]. Therefore, in 2022, the legislature enacted new laws (e.g. the Wind-
on-Land Act) to dramatically increase wind and solar energy.
Most German citizens support the energy transition [5]. In practice, however, the allocation
of RE has been hampered by citizen protests and legal action against planning approvals [68].
Concrete local planning influences the acceptance of renewable energy systems: Even if accep-
tance was high before the start of planning, for instance of local wind farms, it decreases when
the planning process begins [9]. Residents’ desire for greater and earlier involvement in the
planning process [10,11]. In addition, a study found that fear of potential health impacts,
insufficient consideration of nature and landscape conservation, and insufficient contribution
to climate protection are the most common arguments used by critics [12]. Media narratives
about wind power expansion also reinforce the apparent conflict between energy system trans-
formation and conservation [13]. In general, the following factors influence the acceptance of
infrastructure projects: The number of interested and informed participants, the collaborative
processes, the spatial delineation of problems, and the transparency of different stakeholder
interests. It is also hypothesized that acceptance will increase if people are made aware of their
local responsibility for global challenges [14]. As local protests become more entrenched [12],
it can be assumed that previous forms of participatory planning and permitting have not fos-
tered local acceptance of RE allocation or socially responsible decision-making.
Newer participatory approaches combine interactive map applications and gamification
elements to raise awareness of environmental issues, share knowledge transparently and col-
laboratively, and encourage behavior change [1517]. For example, Shrestha et al. [18] con-
ducted "planning game workshops" using interactive maps on a "map table" to explore social
learning and knowledge acquisition. Furthermore, Flacke and Boer [19] developed an interac-
tive planning support system for the energy transition process. In their research, participants
were able to locate RE plants on an interactive map. However, the participants were not able to
calculate how much their planning had contributed to the overall demand for RE in the Neth-
erlands or to the RE expansion target of the specific municipality. Lanezki et al. [20] designed a
serious game to communicate knowledge about the energy transition to citizens. They con-
cluded that the energy transition at the local level is a suitable topic for gamification and that it
can be used for citizen participation.
Gamification and serious games have been used to break down habits and inhibitions and
create behavioral change [2023]. It is defined as "the use of game design elements in non-
game contexts" [24]. Gamification can promote autonomous motivation by providing users
with a sense of the three psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness [25,
26]. Autonomous motivation has a longer lasting positive effect and is therefore the desired
type compared to controlled motivation [27]. Gamification by itself does not affect autono-
mous motivation, behavior, or cognitive learning [28,29]. To support autonomous motiva-
tion, according to self-determination theory, it should address the three psychological needs,
for example, by creating motivating experiences of achievable goals and social interactions in a
flexible system [27]. Capella
´n-Pe
´rez et al. [23] developed a participatory simulation game to
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INTERREG Europe (FKZ No. 60470466), https://
www.interregeurope.eu/ - JW, JT. The funders had
no role in study design, data collection and
analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the
manuscript.
Competing interests: The authors have declared
that no competing interests exist.
create climate change strategies and showed that its use stimulated discussions on critical
issues. These approaches, which integrate interactive map applications and gamification ele-
ments, have been developed for collaborative, spatial planning to increase acceptance in plan-
ning processes. They go beyond simple information sessions and require active participation.
Gamification and the use of map tables could therefore help to reduce the acceptance problems
described above. So far, there is no digital dialogue tool in Germany that implements these
approaches as an informal participation tool to discuss the energy transition on a local level
together with decision makers. Furthermore, the integration of behavioral mechanisms, which
have been found to be relevant for environmental planning [30], has not been tested in a par-
ticipation tool.
With this in mind, we aim to reduce conflicts and increase the acceptability of RE through a
new gamified participatory dialogue tool. We hypothesized that the following factors are cen-
tral to this goal: raising people’s awareness of their responsibility to mitigate climate change,
providing information about the limits of sustainable allocation of RE, and new gamified par-
ticipation formats. In addition, we used the following behavioral mechanisms for the opera-
tional configuration of the participation concept: slowing down decisions by asking
participants to explain them, competition between groups, downscaling of big problems to the
local level, disclosure of information, codification of information/ease of comparison and tan-
gible results [according to 30]. In combination, these factors should empower citizens and
improve decision-making and acceptance in local contexts.
For this purpose, we designed and tested a dialogue tool called ’Vision:En 2040’. ’Vision:En
2040’ combines the following aspects in order to mitigate the proven arguments of critics, to
promote a factual dialogue and to create a transparent opportunity for participation: (i) a tar-
get electricity yield that is downscaled from the national to the local level and represents local
responsibility for achieving the national climate goals, (ii) an interactive interface that shows
immediate results of people’s actions, and provides information on the potential impacts of RE
on biodiversity and ecosystem services, and (iii) game rules that encourage both cooperation
and competition among players. The digital dialogue tool and its participation concept were
developed for application at the municipal level, where people can cooperatively simulate sce-
narios for local RE allocation. The results can subsequently be adopted by decision makers.
In developing ’Vision:En 2040’, we have explored how scientific findings can be transferred
into practice to promote acceptance and decisions for an energy transition. Our research ques-
tions were whether ’Vision:En 2040’ is able to (i) change attitudes towards the energy transi-
tion and the extension of renewable energy plants locally, (ii) make citizens aware of their own
local responsibility in the energy transition process, and (iii) awaken understanding for other
opinions in their own municipality.
We structured this paper as follows: In section 2, we describe the conceptual framework of
’Vision:En 2040’ and present the interface and functionalities of the digital dialogue tool. The
workshop concept is also highlighted in section 2, followed by a demonstration of the imple-
mentation process and the quantitative as well as qualitative evaluation of ’Vision:En 2040’.
Section 3 shows the evaluation results from a public workshop. The paper closes with a discus-
sion and conclusion (section 4 and 5), in which we reflect on the strengths and limitations of
’Vision:En 2040’ against the background of the research questions.
2. Development and implementation of ‘Vision:En 2040’
2.1 Conceptual framework of ‘Vision:En 2040’
’Vision:En 2040’ aims to empower citizens and improve the acceptance of RE systems in the
local context. We define acceptance according to Schweizer-Ries [31]: "The acceptance of
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renewable energy technologies represents the positive, relatively constant result over time of
an appreciation process of the respective technology by an acceptance subject that is linked to
certain framework conditions (= evaluation level). This positive evaluation can also be accom-
panied by actions corresponding to this evaluation judgment and the perceived framework for
action (= action level)". According to this definition, acceptance can be represented by the lev-
els "evaluation (positive to negative)" and "action (active to passive)”.
Knowledge and information also promote acceptance of RE expansion [32,33]. Acceptance
increases with the level of information and knowledge about RE [34]. In a literature review,
Schauff [33] found that people who are familiar with the topic of wind energy tend to be more
accepting. Fostering interest and knowledge, as well as providing understandable and accessi-
ble information, are levers for building acceptance. In addition, specific local information can
mitigate some irrational and counterproductive behavioral mechanisms in decision making
[30]. In order to achieve an increase in acceptance through knowledge and information, the
source of information must be independent, objective, knowledgeable, and reliable [35]. Infor-
mation should be communicated in a transparent, understandable and targeted manner with
relevant and consistent content.
With this in mind, we have developed the following concept for a dialogue and participa-
tion concept that counteracts prejudices and supports people in making decisions about
"their" future energy landscape (Fig 1).
Participants receive an introductory presentation at the beginning of the workshop, in
which the key points of the energy transition are presented. Subsequently, participants use
the dialogue tool to simulate the energy transition for their municipality and exchange argu-
ments about the siting of RE plants. Each placement of a RE plant is justified. The tool and
its workshop enable social interaction that promotes collaborative knowledge production
and interpersonal communication [36]. It provides a space for social learning that encour-
ages understanding of different positions and reflection on one’s own statements and actions
[37,38].
Social learning encompasses learning in and with social groups through interactions [39]
and can be helpful for successful environmental management [40]. A social learning process is
intended to stimulate a change in understanding among the individuals involved, and this
change should extend beyond the individual [41]. The results of a ’Vision:En 2040’ workshop
should therefore have an impact beyond the participants and be relevant to decision makers.
In social learning, different actors intrinsically contribute their own arguments, which arise
from autonomous motivation and can be supported by gamification. The digital dialogue tool
promotes dialogue processes through gamification elements and provides knowledge by:
transparent visualization of suitable areas that can be used in a way that is compatible with
people and nature on an interactive map. Participants can use it to plan the distribution of
RE plants in a way that is compatible with the landscape (cf. criticism of opponents, chap. 1)
and to identify the potential of the municipality. Since the processed information is available
locally and concretely for the known territory, it influences the actors’ decisions in a particu-
lar way [42].
showing potential electricity yields for plant placements.
presentation of a target electricity yield that the municipality would have to achieve in order
to meet Germany’s climate protection targets (cf. criticism of opponents, chap. 1). The target
year for the RE allocation simulation is 2040 to highlight the current need for action today
[43,44]. This communicates the municipality’s responsibility to achieve a 100% renewable
energy supply.
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The dialogue tool with integrated gamification elements is operated by the workshop par-
ticipants via a touch monitor, as studies have shown that the use of "map tables" can enable
and promote participatory planning [17,19,45].
2.2 ‘Vision:En 2040‘: Digital dialogue tool and participation concept
2.2.1 Participation concept. According to the conceptual framework (Fig 1), the dialogue
tool is embedded in a three-hour evening workshop [19], which is divided into three phases
(Fig 2). The target group of ’Vision:En 2040’ includes all stakeholders of a municipality, such
as interested individuals and representatives of local politics and public administration. Partic-
ipants are invited through the local press and social media platforms. Upon entry, participants
receive a name tag with a colored dot that is randomly assigned to the composition of the
focus group.
In a 40-minute introductory phase (Fig 2), participants are welcomed by the mayor of their
municipality. Participants then receive an overview of the status of the energy transition and
Fig 1. Conceptual framework of the interactive dialogue tool for renewable energy allocation ‘Vision:En 2040’ [16,18].
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the environmental impacts of different RE systems. Health impacts, a key point of criticism
from opponents [12], are also addressed in this introductory input.
In a subsequent focus group phase, the participants collaboratively simulate the RE allo-
cation in their municipality. A study showed that the speaking part is balanced with six peo-
ple in a focus group [46]. Since six touch monitors are available, a total of 36 people can
participate in a workshop. Participation will be determined by lottery if more people regis-
ter. The focus groups are facilitated by a moderator who supports the use of the dialogue
tool [19].
After a 15-minute break, the results of the focus groups are presented in a final plenary ses-
sion. For this purpose, the results of the focus groups can be overlaid in the dialogue tool to
identify and discuss synergies and conflicts of the different simulations. Areas of consensus
can be identified and made available to decision makers.
2.2.2 Dialogue tool: Main components and functions of the user interface. 2.2.2.1 User
interface of the RE plant distribution in focus groups. The dialogue tool’s interface displays the
municipality area as a digital map in the center screen (Fig 3). On the left side of the screen,
the user can zoom in or out, activate an aerial view, and activate a measurement tool to mea-
sure, for example, the distance between a settlement and a placed wind turbine. In Fig 3A, the
aerial view is active.
In the lower part of the screen, icons of the RE plant types are integrated into the dialogue
tool: a lower wind turbine (nominal power 4.2 MW, hub height 130m, rotor diameter
138.25m), a higher wind turbine (nominal power 5.5 MW, hub height 180m, rotor diameter
160m), solar farms, and rooftop PV. Information on the different types of RE plants can be
accessed by clicking on the Information button.
When touching an icon of a RE plant type, the municipality area changes its color to the
area suitability classes of the plant type [48]. Area suitability describes the potential of a loca-
tion for wind energy or solar parks, taking into account nature conservation and human well-
being [49]. (calculation background see S1 Text). It is divided into four classes: suitable, partly
suitable, not suitable, and excluded (Table 1).
Once a wind turbine has been placed, a light gray ring visualizes the minimum distance to
be maintained to another wind turbine (3.25 times the rotor diameter). If the turbine is placed
outside of a suitable or partly suitable area, a warning message is displayed that this location is
not compatible with humans and nature. By selecting the placed RE plant, the user receives
Fig 2. The three phases of the participation concept: Introductory phase, focus group phase, and closing phase.
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information about the location of the plant, such as its protection status. To add a solar park,
an area is digitized using support points at the corners and edges.
Different rules apply to the use of rooftop PV, as almost all roofs can be used without con-
flict from a conservation perspective. Accordingly, no suitability classes are displayed. To
adjust the amount of PV on their roofs, participants use a slider to select a percentage of the
rooftop PV potential to be implemented in their simulation. The settlement area of the com-
munity is colored darker, the more usable roof area is to be covered with modules.
The dialogue tool calculates the potential annual electricity yield of the placed RE plants
(calculation background see S2 Text). In the ’Ener_geter’, a kind of tachometer (Fig 3D), the
tool compares the potential annual electricity yield of all assigned RE plants with the target
electricity yield (target value) in percent. The target electricity yield for 2040 describes its
Fig 3. Screenshot of the dialogue tool interface during the focus group. (A) On the left side of the screen, the user can zoom into the interactive map
as well as activate an aerial view [47] and a measurement tool. (B) The higher wind turbine has been selected, (C) and its classes of area suitability are
displayed. On the left side of the screen is a legend explaining the classes of area suitability. (D) On the right side of the screen, the Ener_geter, a kind of
tachometer, shows the target electricity yield of the municipality and the extent to which this has been achieved by the placed renewable energy plants.
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Table 1. Definition of the four area suitability classes, displayed in the dialogue tool as a gamification element, if
a wind turbine or open space photovoltaic systems is to be placed in the municipality [50].
Classes of area
suitability
Description
suitable According to consistent nationwide evaluation criteria, the area can be used in a way
compatible with human well-being and nature.
partly suitable The area can be used in a way that is compatible with humans and nature, with restrictions,
according to consistent nationwide evaluation criteria.
not suitable The use is incompatible with human well-being and nature due to legal regulations and
requirements.
excluded The use is not compatible with humans and nature for technical reasons, legal regulations
and requirements.
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contribution to the success of the energy transition and is derived for each municipality from
nationwide development scenarios [51]. Due to the sensitivity of the landscape and the settle-
ment structure in Germany, the usable area potential is not evenly distributed. Therefore, the
target electricity yield of a municipality does not match its energy needs. If all municipalities
were to achieve their tailor-made target electricity yield according to their potential, the
nationwide goal of an energy transition that is compatible with human well-being and nature
would be achieved. The startup setting of the Ener_geter’s corresponds to the percentage of
electricity from RE plants that could still be in operation in 2040 relative to the target electricity
yield of the municipality (calculation background see S3 Text).
Below the Ener_geter, a bar graph shows how much electricity can be expected from each
type of renewable energy system and how many wind turbines and how much area for solar
parks the focus group participants included in their simulation (Fig 3D).
2.2.2.2 User interface for overlaying focus group simulations in the closing phase. The user
interface to overlay the group results in the closing phase of the workshop is similarly struc-
tured and allows the comparison of the simulation results (Fig 4).
The facilitator selects a RE plant icon (Fig 4A), and the dialogue tool displays the overlay
of the simulations from all focus groups. Each focus group has been assigned a color for this
purpose. Fig 4 visualizes the focus group results for the smaller wind turbine. With this
overlaid representation, hotspots can be quickly identified to discuss potential conflicts and
synergies for the focus groups’ siting choices. The goal here can be to jointly define consen-
sus areas for this plant type and to share both plant locations and potential consensus areas
with decision makers. The focus group Ener_geters are displayed side-by-side on the right-
hand side of the screen (Fig 4B) so that their results can be compared simultaneously at a
glance.
Fig 4. Screenshot of the user interface of the dialogue tool during the closing phase. An aerial view is shown in the background [47].
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2.3 Implementation and evaluation of ‘Vision:En 2040’
2.3.1 Study area. ’Vision:En 2040’ was initially developed for the Hanover region (NUTS
3 region), a municipal association of 21 cities and municipalities in the state of Lower Saxony,
in the northwest of Germany (Fig 5).
The Climate Protection Act of Lower Saxony (NKlimaG [52]) aims towards a complete cov-
erage of the energy demand by RE by the year 2040 3 para. 3 NKlimaG). Lower Saxony cur-
rently has the largest installed capacity for onshore wind energy in Germany and is in the
upper midfield for the newly installed photovoltaic capacity [53]. Compared to the rest of
Lower Saxony, the Hanover Region ranks in the upper midfield for both onshore wind and
solar energy expansion [54].
2.3.2 Technical test, pre-test and public workshop. The functionality and usability of the
dialogue tool prototype were tested during the test phase using a systematic test procedure.
The systematic test procedure included a technical test and a pre-test.
The technical test was conducted on June 24, 2021 with 17 students from Leibniz University
of Hanover (Fig 6), who were divided into three groups for the technical test. During the tech-
nical testing of the dialogue tool, the students worked on test tasks to evaluate the usability and
functionality of the tool. Realistic testing tasks are used in software development as a feedback
technique to test the key functions of the system [55], to focus the testing, and to collect
Fig 5. Study area of ‘Vision:En 2040’. The dialogue tool can be used in every municipality and town in the Hanover Region and has been used for the
first time in Gehrden and Ronnenberg.
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quantitative values [56]. After each test task, students rated the usability and functionality in a
questionnaire.
The whole concept of ’Vision:En 2040’ was tested on October 11, 2021 in the festival hall of
the town Gehrden. For the pre-test, local mayors, employees of planning offices, the town
council, nature conservation associations, and the energy sector were invited by the climate
protection manager and the climate protection agency Region Hannover. 21 people partici-
pated in the pre-test under conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pre-test was then eval-
uated quantitatively and qualitatively. The results of the technical test and the pre-test were
used to adapt the dialogue tool and the workshop concept.
After optimization, a public workshop was held in Ronnenberg on June 14, 2022. The
workshop was announced publicly so that every resident of Ronnenberg had the opportunity
to register. The public workshop was quantitatively and qualitatively evaluated.
2.3.3 Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of ‘Vision:En 2040’. 2.3.3.1 Structure of
the standardized questionnaire. In order to investigate whether ’Vision:En 2040’ can increase
the acceptance of local RE sites and initiate dialogue processes in the municipality, and what
application possibilities and optimization potentials exist, the participants received a post-ses-
sion questionnaire. It included closed, hybrid and open-ended questions and could be
answered within five minutes. Respondents rated the statements in three question matrices on
a 4-point Likert scale ("agree", "tend to agree", "tend to disagree" and "disagree") with an addi-
tional "not specified" option. In this scale, respondents had to choose a response direction, but
had the option of choosing the non-content response category "not specified" [57]. Compara-
ble studies have used this approach [5,5860].
In the first question matrix, statements about ’Vision:En 2040’ were evaluated regarding the
respondent’s attitude towards the energy transition. For example, the statement "Vision:En has
shown me that it is possible to locate RE in the municipality while taking into account nature
protection and human well-being" was included in the questionnaire.
In the following question matrix, the participants mainly evaluated the usability of the tool.
After this matrix of questions, an open-ended question allowed participants to make sugges-
tions for improving usability and functionality, as well as to express their wishes for additional
features.
The final question matrix included statements about the concept of participation and was
divided into three parts: Statements about the introductory phase, the focus group phase, and
about the closing phase. In this question matrix, for example, participants rated the time frame
of each event phase. The questionnaire ended with three open-ended questions. Here, partici-
pants could list suggestions for improvement and ideas for the schedule.
Fig 6. Development and testing phases of ‘Vision:En 2040’: Technical test, pre-test and public workshop.
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Sociodemographic characteristics were not collected in the five-minute survey because par-
ticipants were not to be detained any longer after the workshop. The handwritten question-
naires were digitized in the online survey tool LimeSurvey (version 3.28.5) and then analyzed
descriptively in Excel 2019.
2.3.3.2 Qualitative evaluation of the focus groups. In addition, we examined the discussion
process of the focus groups with a structuring qualitative content analysis. For the qualitative
content analysis, the screens and conversations of the focus groups were recorded. The tran-
scription and subsequent steps were performed in MAXQDA software (version, 2022.0.0),
using the content-semantic transcription rules according to Dresing [61]. The workflow of the
qualitative content analysis is divided into six phases (Fig 7), based on Kuckartz [62]:
For the qualitative content analysis, deductive categories were initially developed in the first
phase, which were supplemented by inductively formed categories through a coding of test
material. In the third phase, the transcripts of the pre-test focus groups were coded and a brief
analysis was conducted. In the fifth phase, a coding system for the public event was created.
For this purpose, the experiences from the coding process of the pre-test material were used
on the one hand, and a coding system developed independently by students of the Leibniz
University of Hanover was used on the other hand, since the creation of a coding system
Fig 7. Six phases of the content-structured content analysis to analyze the focus groups (based on Kuckartz [62]).
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should be carried out independently by several people [62]. In order to combine the coding
systems, three transcripts of the public workshop were coded in order to avoid having to create
additional categories during the subsequent coding of the entire material.
In the final analysis, we contrasted the pros and cons of the placed RE plants to show which
type of RE plant received the least or most pros or cons from the participants. For this cate-
gory-based evaluation, the appropriate categories were selected and transferred to a table so
that each statement could be presented in its own words or with a greatly reduced quote. Simi-
lar or comparable statements were listed in order to determine which arguments were most
frequently mentioned in the focus groups.
The presentation of the results in this paper focuses on the public workshop in Ronnenberg,
since optimizations of the dialogue tool and the evaluation methods were used here (e.g. a cod-
ing system for qualitative content analysis that was revised after the pre-test).
3. Results
3.1 Results of the questionnaire evaluation
The public workshop in Ronnenberg was attended by 24 participants from agriculture, energy,
administration and politics, who were divided into five focus groups. All focus groups achieved
the calculated target electricity yield for the year 2040. One focus group even simulated an
expansion plan that exceeded the target electricity yield by 99%. At the end of the event, 21
participants completed the survey.
All participants agreed or tended to agree with the statement, "Vision:En 2040 made it clear
to me that further establishment of renewable energy systems must be implemented in the
municipality in order to achieve federal climate protection goals" (Fig 8). When pre-tested,
90% also agreed with this statement.
For 100% of the respondents, ’Vision:En 2040’ was helpful to jointly find RE sites in the
municipality, as different personal attitudes were discussed. In the pre-test, 90% of the respon-
dents agreed with this statement, so again a similar response pattern was found. Furthermore,
’Vision:En 2040’ showed that 90% of the respondents believe that it is possible to locate RE in
Ronnenberg while respecting nature and human well-being (Fig 9). For 90% of the respon-
dents, ’Vision:En 2040’ also offers the potential to develop a joint allocation plan for renewable
energies in the municipality or to identify consensus sites. Over 95% of pre-test respondents
indicated that ’Vision:En 2040’ will be a topic of personal discussion. In addition, 67% of
respondents said that ’Vision:En 2040’ will encourage them to learn (even more) about the
energy transition in the future (Fig 8). On top of that, 76% of the respondents even stated that
they plan to become more actively involved in implementing the energy transition in the
future. Agreement with these two statements was lower in the pre-test: 57% and 67%,
respectively.
The evaluation results of the usability statements showed positive results: 100% of the
respondents agreed that 7 of the 14 statements were true or somewhat true (Fig 9). In the pre-
test, the usability statements received lower agreement rates: 85% of the respondents "strongly
agree" or "somewhat agree" with 9 of the 14 statements.
For example, respondents found the font size in the dialogue tool to be sufficient, they were
able to distinguish well between the classes of area suitability of a RE installation, and they
found the layout of the dialogue tool interface to be clear (Fig 9). The information text was also
easy for respondents to understand, and the rooftop PV usage slider was easy to find and use.
Only one respondent considered that the dialogue tool did not describe "area suitability" (cf.
chap. 2.2.2.1) in an understandable way.
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Fig 8. Evaluation of the question matrix with statements about ‘Vision:En 2040’.
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In the open question about suggestions for improvement, one person mentioned the fol-
lowing: "When setting the icons, e.g. wind energy, give an error message when setting incor-
rectly. Some people did not know that the circles from the wind turbine are allowed to
overlap". In the pre-test, two people commented that they could not distinguish the area suit-
ability classes of a RE plant very well. This was optimized and the respondents did not mention
this again.
The answer option "rather not correct" was not marked in the question matrix for any of the
participation concept statements. At least 90% of the respondents agreed or tended to agree
with the statements questioned (Fig 10). In the pre-test, agreement was mostly above 80%.
Fig 9. Evaluation of the question matrix regarding the usability of the dialogue tool.
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The answer option "rather not correct" was not marked in the question matrix for any of
the participation concept statements. For example, 90% of respondents rated the imple-
mentation timeframe as reasonable (Fig 10). Only one person stated that the introduction
should be extended so that the tool could be used for simulation afterwards. Respondents
felt that the closing plenary was well structured and that the time frame was appropriate.
One person mentioned two suggestions for the introductory phase: "The importance of
energy storage (hydrogen) was not conveyed", and "Target 2040 must be brought forward
to 2035".
The majority of respondents (86%) stated that ’Vision:En 2040’ should be used as an oppor-
tunity for dialogue in the community to initiate an exchange about the energy transition in the
municipality–independent of planning processes. In fact, this answer option was checked by
all participants in the pre-test (Fig 11). 71% of the respondents see ’Vision:En 2040’ as a
Fig 10. Evaluation of the question matrix regarding the participation concept.
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participation tool in planning processes and two people mentioned ’schools’ as a possible use
under ’other’. On average, 1.7 answers were checked (1.8 in the pre-test).
3.2 Results of the quantitative evaluation of the focus groups
A total of 257 text segments were coded in the transcripts of the five focus groups of the public
workshop in Ronnenberg. The main category "solar parks" with its subcategories "arguments
against placement" and "arguments for placement" was coded most often, followed by the
main category "wind energy" (Fig 12). Participants in the focus group discussions also
expressed positive and negative criticism of society, the dialogue tool, or legal requirements.
The analysis shows that the course of the discussion was different in each focus group. For
example, while two focus groups were discussing problems, proposed solutions, and the alloca-
tion of wind turbines at the beginning of the simulation, another focus group was discussing
the setting of the PV slider in detail. In all focus groups, the four types of RE systems integrated
into the dialogue tool were discussed and placed, and the electricity yields achieved were com-
pared with the Ener_geter status. The following section presents the discussion content of the
coded segments of the main category "wind energy".
In all focus groups, there were more arguments in favor of siting wind turbines (82%) than
against siting (18%), and both types of wind turbines were included in the simulation. Partici-
pants agreed that all suitable areas should be fully utilized and raised no objections to the siting
of wind turbines in suitable areas. Thus, the visualization of area suitability in the dialogue tool
had a strong influence on the siting of wind turbines. In some cases, participants fully utilized
Fig 11. Possible uses of ‘Vision:En 2040’. Answers to the question what ‘Vision:En 2040’ should be used for–multiple answers were possible
(pre-test, n = 21; public workshop n = 21).
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areas that were partly suitable for wind turbine siting (cf. chapter 2.2.2.1). Other arguments for
integrating wind turbines included the fact that there are already wind turbines in the area,
that farmers are likely to make their land available, or that people do not live too close to the
selected site. The analysis of the placement discussions showed that focus group members
picked up on each other’s arguments, thus passing on information and knowledge. The
exchange of views on the placement of wind turbines strengthened the participants’ positive
attitude towards local RE development.
4. Discussion
Based on interactive participation tools [17,23,45,63], including behavioral mechanisms and
existing energy transition scenarios [4,51,64], we created a participatory dialogue tool for
renewable energy allocation (’Vision:En 2040’) to support the local energy transition. The use
of the tool in the context of moderated participatory processes reduces conflicts and increases
local acceptance for the installation of RE systems by raising people’s awareness of their
responsibility for climate protection and providing information on sustainable locations for
RE systems.
With the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of ’Vision:En 2040’ we were able to show
that ’Vision:En 2040’ has put scientific knowledge about the energy transition into practice.
Scientific knowledge was disseminated through both the workshop concept and the dialogue
tool. For example, in the first phase of the event, an introductory presentation provided partic-
ipants with general information about the energy transition and the impact of RE installations
(Fig 2). From the participants’ perspective, this information was presented in an understand-
able, target-group-oriented, and transparent manner [30], factors that positively influence
recruitment acceptance (see research question 1, introduction).
In addition, the visualization of area suitability classes in the dialogue tool illustrated which
areas in their municipality could be used for RE allocation in a way that is compatible with
Fig 12. Focus group coding. Overview of the frequency of the ten main categories, including their subcategories, across the five focus group transcripts.
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human well-being and nature. This could help to an increase in acceptance, as Hu¨bner et al.
also showed that RE installations built in a way that is compatible with nature and the land-
scape are more accepted [65,66].
’Vision:En 2040’ communicates local responsibility in the energy transition by using gami-
fication elements. For the participants, both the visualization of the target electricity yield on
the Ener_geter and the display of suitable areas emphasized the potential and responsibility of
their municipality in the RE installation process. This was also confirmed by the standardized
survey: ’Vision:En 2040’ showed the participants that a further construction of RE plants in the
municipality is necessary to meet the projected nationwide energy demand from renewables
(see research question 2, introduction). The Ener_geter status motivated the discussants to
include as many RE plants as necessary to meet or exceed the target electricity yield. Conse-
quently, the Ener_geter as a gamification element encouraged the participants to build more
RE plants by targeting autonomous motivation through the gamification element [25,26]. The
Ener_geter embodies the idea of setting a concrete goal and enables clear communication,
which is a prerequisite for acceptance.
’Vision:En 2040’ makes citizens aware of their responsibility in the energy transition pro-
cess (see research question 2, introduction). In the focus group phase, the dialogue tool visual-
ized the impact of their actions by using the Ener_geter to show the effect of a negative or
positive attitude towards certain RE plants. For instance, if participants reject the allocation of
wind turbines, the target electricity yield cannot be achieved. In their simulations, the partici-
pants always included discussions of the RE electricity mix and the storage of RE electricity.
’Vision:En 2040’ creates a space for dialogue processes (see research question 3, introduc-
tion). The dialogue tool provides participants with a discussion framework that they can use in
a variety of ways in their simulation. All focus groups exchanged arguments for and against
the placement of RE plants. In doing so, they integrated the target electricity yield and area
suitability into their RE allocation planning. The qualitative evaluation also showed that the
participants brought background knowledge, e.g. from their own RE projects, to the focus
groups and that the focus group members integrated this information into the simulation of
RE plants. Since focus group members incorporated the arguments of other participants into
their statements or even changed them, we assume that social learning processes took place.
From the survey results we conclude that ’Vision:En 2040’ can broaden the understanding
of different positions regarding the development of RE in one’s own municipality. The partici-
pants found ’Vision:En 2040’ helpful in finding renewable energy sites together. For them,
’Vision:En 2040’ has the potential to develop a common allocation plan for renewables in the
municipality and to identify consensus areas for the allocation of RE plants (see research ques-
tion 3, introduction).
’Vision:En 2040’ influences the evaluation and action levels [31] of acceptance of local RE
allocation (see research question 1, introduction). The evaluation showed that participants of a
’Vision:En 2040’ workshop could change from silent to active supporters. For example, a large
proportion of respondents to the pre-test and public workshop indicated that they would like
to learn more about the topic in the future and become more actively involved in the energy
transition. The focus groups further reinforced the participants’ positive attitudes toward the
energy transition and the local siting of RE installations. The introductory presentation and
the focus groups broadened and deepened the participants’ knowledge of the energy transi-
tion. People with more information and knowledge are more likely to support a transition to
RE in their municipality [3234]. Furthermore, participants indicated that ’Vision:En 2040’
will become a topic of discussion in their environment. The knowledge gained from the work-
shop can then be passed on. This could have the effect of reaching other people who did not
directly participate in the workshop. In addition, the results of the workshop were presented to
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the municipal councils and influenced the development of a land use plan, which was adopted
without further objection in a regular public participation process.
In general, ’Vision:En 2040’ is a dialogue tool that can support, but not replace, the official
planning and approval processes for the allocation of RE plants. The workshop participants
enjoyed the RE allocation simulation because of the integrated gamification elements. How-
ever, the scope of the ’Vision:En 2040’ workshop was limited to a maximum of 36 participants,
and 24 attended. Therefore, the recruitment of participants should be reviewed and the possi-
bility of increasing the number of participants should be explored. ’Vision:En 2040’, which was
designed for use at the local level, can be transferred to the regional level or to municipalities
outside the Hanover region if the database is expanded accordingly.
5. Conclusion
The majority of the population in Germany has a positive attitude towards renewable energy.
But when it comes to siting wind turbines in their municipalities, there is skepticism and even
resistance. Therefore, we designed and tested a new participation format based on behavioral
mechanisms (’Vision:En 2040’) to reduce biases against renewable energy and to support
informed decision making while taking local responsibility. ’Vision:En 2040’, a participatory
format with a digital dialogue tool, provides knowledge about a sustainable energy transition
and supports a cooperative simulation.
The dialogue tool includes gamification elements. It promotes climate-related action as a
protected emotional experience space and provides a framework for cooperative learning and
discussion. Evidence suggests that this participation also contributes to acceleration. The pre-
requisites for this are:
Specification of the national climate targets for the local level, preferably in the form of local
energy targets instead of area targets, in order to expand the scope for decision-making and
allow flexibility in the energy mix.
The definition of human- and nature-friendly spatial boundaries–the identification of suit-
able areas–for the sustainable siting of wind turbines and solar parks.
Supporting the participation process with innovative participation tools that consider behav-
ioral mechanisms to promote self-efficacy, collective responsibility, social learning and, last
but not least, enjoyment of the participation process.
’Vision:En 2040’ is suitable for initiating an equal discussion process in municipalities
regarding RE planning, promoting social learning processes, and creating acceptance. Evalua-
tions showed that the dialogue tool made participants aware of the need to further allocate RE
plants in the municipality. Their responsibility in the energy transition was emphasized as the
dialogue tool showed the impact of a negative or positive attitude through gamification.
’Vision:En 2040’ broadened the understanding of different positions regarding RE allocation
and was considered helpful in finding RE sites together. For the participants, ’Vision:En 2040’
offers the opportunity to create a joint RE allocation plan and to design their energy landscape.
An address-oriented manual should be prepared to implement a ’Vision:En 2040’ workshop
in other municipalities independently of the research project.
Supporting information
S1 Table. Area suitability classes for wind energy on land. Classes of area suitability for
onshore wind energy with their assigned surface categories and data sources.
(DOCX)
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S2 Table. Area suitability classes for solar parks. Classes of area suitability for solar parks
with their assigned surface categories and data sources.
(DOCX)
S1 Text. Excursus: Calculation of the area suitability classes.
(DOCX)
S2 Text. Excursus: The calculations of the potential electricity yields.
(DOCX)
S3 Text. Excursus: Calculation of the target electricity yield for each municipality.
(DOCX)
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank the participants of the public workshop in Ronnenberg and Gehrden.
By completing the questionnaires and participating in the focus group discussions, they pro-
vided us with the evaluation basis for this article. We would also like to thank our project part-
ners, IP SYSCON GmbH and Climate Protection Agency Region Hannover GmbH, for their
excellent and fruitful collaborative work.
Author Contributions
Conceptualization: Julia Thiele, Julia Wiehe.
Formal analysis: Julia Thiele.
Investigation: Julia Thiele.
Methodology: Julia Thiele.
Project administration: Julia Wiehe.
Software: Julia Thiele.
Supervision: Julia Wiehe, Christina von Haaren.
Visualization: Julia Thiele.
Writing original draft: Julia Thiele, Julia Wiehe, Christina von Haaren.
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Ein schneller und sektorenübergreifender Umbau der Energieversorgung hin zu erneuerbaren Energien (EE) ist ein zentrales Handlungsfeld, um bundesweite und internationale Klimaschutzziele zu erreichen. Dabei gilt es gleichzeitig den Ansprüchen der Menschen vor Ort gerecht zu werden. Eine ebenso dringende Herausforderung ist der Rückgang der biologischen Vielfalt, der bei der Umsetzung der Energiewende gleichrangig berücksichtigt werden muss. Ziel des Vorhabens EE100-konkret ist es strategische Stellschrauben aufzuzeigen, wie die Umsetzung einer solchen mensch- und naturverträglichen Energiewende unterstützt werden kann. Zentrale Elemente sind dabei - die Definition von räumlichen Leitplanken einer mensch- und naturverträglichen Raumbeanspruchung durch Anlagen zur Gewinnung erneuerbarer Energien, - die Berechnung des Stromertragspotenzials innerhalb dieser Leitplanken und der Vergleich mit projizierten Energiebedarfen, - die Projektion von Konsequenzen für Stromnetze und Speicher, resultierender Systemkosten bzw. Stromgestehungskosten sowie von Transformationspfaden und schließlich - das Aufzeigen von Spielräumen durch die Entwicklung von Technologien, Energieeinsparungen, die Beteiligung der Öffentlichkeit vor Ort und die Ableitung von Handlungsempfehlungen und -strategien für die Politik. EE100-konkret entwickelt damit die Ergebnisse und Erkenntnisse des Projektes „Naturverträgliche Energieversorgung aus 100 % erneuerbare Energien 2050“ (kurz: „EE100“) aus 2018 fort und konkretisiert diese. [...]
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