Content

While private persons are the main driver behind the German energy transition (‘Energiewende’), companies still face enormous challenges in keeping pace with changes in production patterns, strategies and energy management. Thus, an enhanced engagement of corporate actors, particularly employees and managers at their workplaces, is needed for a successful energy transition.

This is the basis for the research project "enEEbler"–"employee initiatives for renewable energy". It focuses on citizens who are already taking an active part in the German energy transition by privately switching to green energy providers, installing solar panels on their roofs or participating in renewable energy initiatives. This private momentum towards renewable energies could potentially propel substantial spill-over effects into the corporate sector. The project investigates if and why citizens limit their engagement to the private sphere, or if and under which conditions they also try to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency in their workplaces. Do employers and management support individual initiatives for the energy transition? Or do active employees have to overcome organizational barriers and cope with managerial disapproval?

So far, research and practice do not pay sufficient attention to the individual initiative of employees. Therefore, the project analyzes if and how active citizens are able and willing to transfer their impulses for renewable energy into their work places. This so called ‘spill-over effect’ could help push companies towards the sustainable energy transition and towards developing a culture of participation and change. The project takes a closer look at the barriers that potentially hinder the successful implementation of renewable energy projects in companies and other organizations. On the basis of the findings, the project provides tools and platforms for companies that help to set free and enable employee engagement for renewable energy.

Project Members

ISR (Prof. Dr. Carsten Herbes, Anja Gräf), Alanus University of Bonn

Partners

IG Metall, IG BCE, B.A.U.M., Borderstep Institute, Volkswagen employee cooperative for renewable energy in Emden

Duration

Q2/2013 – Q2/2016

Public funding

Federal Ministry of Education and Research (FONA)