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ZusammenfassungDie Energiewende stellt eine grundlegende Transformation in der Erzeugungs- und Verteilstruktur des deutschen Energiesystems dar. Durch verschiedene Fördermechanismen wie das EEG konnten neue, semiprofessionelle Anlagenbetreiber in den Energiemarkt eintreten. Standortentscheidungen wurden entprofessionalisiert und die Bedeutung von behavioristischen Standortfaktoren, wie z. B. das soziale Umfeld, die Sicherung der eigenen Lebensgrundlage oder die persönliche Konstitution gewannen an Bedeutung. Dieser Wandel stellt das Voranschreiten der Energiewende vor neue Herausforderungen. Da bisher wenig Kenntnis über das Handeln und die Faktoren, die zu einer Standortentscheidung bei neuen Anlagenbetreibern führen, besteht, ist es das Ziel dieser Studie, Anlagenbetreiber von erneuerbaren Energien nach deren Standortverhalten zu klassifizieren. Dazu wurden mithilfe eines standardisierten Fragebogens Anlagenbetreiber in den Planungsregionen Augsburg (Bayern) und Lausitz-Spreewald (Brandenburg) befragt. In der nachfolgenden Clusteranalyse wurden 4 raumrelevante Betreibergruppen klassifiziert: Überregionale, Regionale, Kommunale und Kleinbäuerliche Betreiber. Diese Gruppen unterscheiden sich hinsichtlich ihres raumrelevanten Standort- und Betriebsverhaltens und weisen daher unterschiedliche Eignungen für Räume mit unterschiedlichen Eigenschaften auf. Um diese Eignung räumlich sichtbar zu machen, wurde abschließend eine GIS-Analyse durchgeführt, um am Beispiel der Planungsregion Augsburg aufzuzeigen, welche Betreibergruppe an welchem Standort am geeignetsten ist. In Augsburg können somit die Kommunalen Betreiber aufgrund ihrer hohen Ortskenntnis und starken lokalen Eingebundenheit an vielen Standorten raumverträglich Energieanlagen errichten. Der vorliegende Ansatz bietet somit das Potenzial, den Ausbau der Energiewende raum- und sozialverträglich zu gestalten.

The number of actors in the German Energy Transition as well as the planning complexity increases and new spatial implications emerge in contrast to the conventional energy system. In planning processes for Renewable Energy Technologies mostly economic approaches are chosen, but simultaneously the number of social conflicts related to wind power plants or solar energy plants is on an all-time high. The aim of the study is therefore to identify the essential parameters of a sustainable expansion of renewable energies from the diversity of potential influencing factors and to illustrate them using a regional case study and GIS. The analyses reveal the great regional assertiveness of photovoltaics, whereby wind energy can assert itself due to social parameters also at some locations. Beyond this, it is to be stated that renewable energies find themselves in intense economic and social competition for space, although the most compatible spatial solutions have not always been able to prevail so far. Nevertheless, the presented approach offers a sophisticated method to minimize the social conflicts that arise in the context of the energy system transformation.

The implementation of many small power stations compensates the closing of powerful large power plants as part of the German Energy Transition is compensated. It is unclear how site decisions are made, which actors are involved, and which economic, ecological, and social consequences occur. The quantitative study consists of a written postal survey of renewable energy plant operators, concerning central aspects of project development. The study found strong regional disparities concerning the entrepreneurial behavior of plant operators of renewable energies, a low importance of socio-institutional and socio-cultural parameters, a great relevance of micro-social environment during site planning of renewable energy plants, and that plant operators are highly influenced by economic and individual desires. It may be concluded that the perspectives operators have on the Energy Transitions must be more systematically included into the discourse regarding the sustainable deployment of renewable energies, as they reveal significant disparities with topics that are emphasized by the public (e.g., landscape aesthetic, citizens&rsquo, participation). It was shown that the challenges and problems that arise in the context of regional energy transformation cannot be generalized beyond regional circumstances, rather, they must be regarded as specific regional phenomena that have to be overcome by means of regionally adapted energy concepts.

As citizens in Germany are increasingly protesting against wind power plants, participating in planning processes, or supporting wind power plants financially, their role in the energy transition, especially their power on the local level needs to be thoroughly examined. Using an actor-centric framework, this case study analyzes the power of citizens in the context of the planning process of four wind power plants in the south of Germany. While so far, the general approach towards citizens was not differentiated, this paper proposes a distinction of citizens, based upon the social and local position relevant in the planning process. Most citizens can exert soft means of power, such as influencing local discourses or appealing towards local incumbents to implement their concerns. Citizens in Special Positions have the most possibilities as they own land, are wealthy, or in official positions themselves. Nevertheless, citizens are not official actors, and their power is highly dependent on local circumstances, the presence of key actors, and the capability of local incumbents.