Cross-Border Renewable Energy Transitions

Philippe Hamman is Full Professor of Sociology at the Institute for Urbanism and Regional Development, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Strasbourg, France.

"This is a great book about developing regional and transnational energy systems considering regulatory, political and governance aspects. It contributes to the understanding of the energy transition as a multi-level and multi-agent process."Dogan Keles, Professor in Applied Economics, Department of Technology, Management and Economics, Technical University of Denmark."Developing new energies raises radical tensions and contradictions between states, firms and communities. In this slow and transitional process, the societal dimension comes before technical issues. Cross-border Renewable Energy Transitions is innovative and creative in exploring a threefold legal, economic and sociological perspective. The book points out the need of transactional arrangements between conflicting economic interests and moral values." Maurice Blanc, Emeritus Professor in Sociology, Strasbourg University, France"Cross-border Renewable Energy Transitions: Lessons from Europe's Upper Rhine Region" is a particularly rich book calling upon diverse disciplinary fields to shed light on the issue of the transition to renewable energy. In this book, edited by Philippe Hamman, the problem of sustainability governance is brilliantly explored from both theoretical and empirical perspectives."Céline Burger, Assistant Professor in urban planning, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, France"This volume provides rich insights into the potentials of cross-border collaborations in the energy transition. Studying the energy transition in France’s, Germany’s, and Switzerland’s Upper-Rhine Region, it considers the multi-level and multi-actor nature of these processes. Thereby, it does not only offer insightful results for researchers, but also helpful guidance for policy makers."Jens Koehrsen, University of Basel, Switzerland."Throughout this book Philippe Hamman provides a multi-scalar analysis of energy transition in Europe. Grounded in empirical work in France, Germany and Switzerland, it is one of the rare examples of cross-disciplinary work in the social sciences, as well as being an important contribution to energy studies, providing outlines for future policies". Nadine Roudil, Full Professor of Sociology, National School of Archecture of Paris Val de Seine, France"Based on a multidisciplinary perspective, this book provides a welcome overview of the issues at stake in the energy transition and the development of renewable energies. Combining a review of the literature with theoretical approaches and case studies from three European countries, it describes the multiplication of transactional arrangements in the field of renewable energy projects, using a multi-scalar approach that has now become indispensable."Jérôme Dubois, Full Professor of urban planning and regional development, Aix-Marseille University, France

• Part I: From conceptual framework to regional prospective modelling 1. Renewable energy transition beyond borders in Europe: From a literature review to a case study in the Upper Rhine Region 2. A regional cross-border approach to the energy transition: Political context and decarbonisation pathways, renewable energy potentials, and two energy system models Part II: Regulatory frameworks and cross-border cooperation issues 3. Franco-German cross-border cooperation on hydropower implementation: Regulatory issues and future challenges 4. Franco-German partnerships for the production of photovoltaic energy: The difficulties of a cross-border cooperation for renewable energies 5. Deep geothermal energy versus transboundary environmental protection: The law as a conciliation tool? Part III: Economic barriers, opportunities and incentives 6. Chances and barriers to European transnational collaboration in the development of a sustainable energy market: Potentials in the Upper Rhine Region 7. The political economy of a transnational and sustainable electricity market: The expansion of the Trinational Metropolitan Region Upper Rhine (TMO) Part IV: Sociological interplays: key actors and citizen participation 8. Renewable energies in the Upper Rhine Region from a stakeholder viewpoint: Projects, territorialisation and networks in the making 9. Citizen energy cooperatives in the Upper Rhine Region: Commoning issues in the transition towards a decarbonised and decentralised future