Actors, motives and social implications of 100% renewable energy territories in Austria and Germany

Abstract

More and more rural communities are achieving 100% renewable energy autonomy, producing as much or even more than they consume, whether they are connected to national power grids or not (microgrids). The socio-anthropological study of four communities in Austria and Germany reveals that at this scale, the development of renewable energy is conduced by unconventional players in the energy sector: individuals, farmers, and local communities. This chapter explores their motives and the implications of this local energy appropriation on the local economy, tourism, solidarities and collective identity.