Cabinet unrealistic about role individuals can play in energy transition: SCP

The government assumes that citizens will play a major role in setting up local, sustainable energy projects, but many citizens are waiting for the government to take a leading role. They are, therefore, not on the same page, the Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP) concluded in a study. According to the SCP, “the government needs a more realistic view of the role and expectations of citizens.”

The SCP questioned both focus groups of local officials and citizens about generating sustainable energy. The researchers focused on local generation, for example, by groups of citizens who jointly fill a field with solar panels or buy a windmill together.

According to the SCP, many citizens would like to see the government - locally, this often involves the municipality - taking responsibility for getting such projects off the ground. Groups of residents do not always have the “knowledge, expertise, manpower, and resources” to do this. Civil servants prefer to see residents take the lead. They find it difficult when municipalities do so, because the law does not allow them to just enter the market.

Citizens and civil servants do agree that it is good if everyone in the area can also benefit from the proceeds of local energy generation projects. For that reason, most citizens and civil servants would not want to leave sustainable energy projects entirely to commercial companies.

The SCP advised that when developing climate and energy policy, the government shouldn’t “start with the division of responsibility” but instead first formulate clear goals for the community. If governments and citizens agree, they can then discuss the division of tasks and how the municipality can support the project.