Towards the energy transition in Fryslân H.W. Dijkman Towards the energy transition in Fryslân Investigating the spatial implications of the Frisian energy transition on a local scale by Haryt Wolter Dijkman to obtain the degree of Master of Science at the Wageningen University (WUR) Student number: 910918211060 Course code: LUP-80436 ECTS: 36 Thesis committee: dr. C. Basta, WUR, supervisor dr. ing. S. Stremke, WUR, supervisor prof. dr. L.B. Janssen-Jansen WUR, examiner dr. ir. W.G.M. van der Knaap WUR, second reviewer Address: Wageningen University Land Use Planning Group P.O. Box 47, 6703 AA Wageningen Abstract Difficulties to come to grips with spatial implications of the energy transition are currently hindering concrete energy transition actions on multiple planning scales. In this research, the spatial implications of the Frisian energy transition on a local scale have been explored through outlining and testing a planning strategy. This testing included inviting local communities to participate in a set of workshops. Exploration of concrete spatial implications is intended to help activate energy transition initiatives on both local and regional Frisian scales. This research shows that the Frisian energy transition on the local scale will mainly cause visual spatial implications within the urban area due to the desired multifunctional use of space. On both the local and regional scale, the exploration performed in this research has led to the undertaking of actions towards the energy transition. Keywords: energy transition, strategic spatial planning, Local Energy Initiatives (LEIs), workshops, spatial implications v vi Acknowledgements This research would not have been possible without the help and contribution of so many people, including first and foremost Claudia Basta and Sven Stremke for their supervision as part of the LUP chair group. Gerwin Venema provided the opportunity to perform this research for and at the Province of Fryslân, as well as an opportunity to hire landscape architect Erik Overdiep to visualize local energy transition perspectives. Erik Overdiep was quintessential, regarding his effort in creating the visual representation of the local energy transition perspectives as well as his facilitating role within the workshop phase. Many thanks also go to Barend Leest, for the inspiring as well as ‘down to earth’ conversations on the Frisian Energy Transition, and Edgar van der Staay, for enthusiastically sharing his knowledge on energy algebra, renewable energy technologies as well as his help in making the energy mix model real. And last but certainly not least, special thanks goes to Sandra van Assen, for her dedication, help and constructive thinking while designing the method proposed in this research. Her constructive comments on this research as well as her active participation in the workshops were of extremely high value. vii viii Summary Ongoing developments in Fryslân concerning the production of renewable energy has left the province of Fryslân ambivalent regarding how to realize the respective renewable energy transition goal for 2050. Implementation of large scale renewable energy projects seems to be unavoidable. However, these endeavours divide the Frisian population: on one end supporters of and on the other end opponents to the energy transition. The current rapidly developing local course of action, focusing on the production of renewable energy on a local scale, seems instrumental to overcome such polarization of Frisian population, and to be much more supported by local communities. Ongoing discussion concerning the desirability of such local courses of action, however, seems not to consider the respective inevitable weaknesses, that are mostly constituted by the difficulty for local communities to envision the concrete implications that the energy transition will have on their much valued living environment and landscape. One of the main reasons this gap in the local course of action exists is a difficulty to envision spatial implications of energy transition targets. Getting a grip on such spatial implications – that is, the visual and land-use effects of renewable energy technologies on landscapes – is very important, because the real challenges when talking about energy transition are the related, inevitable and large changes in the environment. This research intends to deliver instruments for solving this gap, namely envisioning spatial implications of the energy transition by developing an approach focussed on a set of local scale energy initiatives. Such initiatives will herein be referred to as local energy initiatives, or LEIs. The assessment of local spatial implications of renewable energy technologies chosen by local communities in order to achieve specific energy targets will enable a more grounded vision of what the Frisian energy ambition for 2050 would entail on both local and regional scales. As such, this research will help policy makers to evaluate whether the cumulative spatial implications of local initiatives would enable the energy transition in light of the strategic horizon of 2050 consistently, harmoniously and integrally. In this regard, this research adopts a ‘local course of action’ – focussed on a set of case studies – in order to gain strategic insight into the energy transition on a regional scale. This insight is the main objective of this research, and relates basically to both the set of renewable energy technologies a sample of local communities would opt for to be incorporated in the local landscape after being informed of their corresponding spatial implications (termed the local energy transition perspectives), as well as what the Province of Fryslân could learn from these localized initiatives. These lessons could aid the design of a comprehensive strategy for regional transition towards renewables on the way to 2050’s goals. The methodology in this research revolves around inviting selected local communities to a set of workshops, wherein local energy transition perspectives concerning the Frisian energy transition are explored. Based on the perspective on the energy transition matured in the context of this research, it is concluded that the spatial implications of energy transition on a local scale are relevant, primarily in the participating communities’ urban area. These areas offer enough room for multifunctional production of renewable energy needed to cover the majority of demand for heat, electricity and transportation. Because of this predominant, multifunctional installation of renewable energy technologies in the urban area, the energy transition on the local scale will mainly cause visual impacts on individual building plots. However, if any function of current land use on a local scale would have to change, this will most likely be for the renewable production of electricity. ix x Table of Content ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................................................ V ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................................................. VII SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................................... IX ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................................................................. XV 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 THE DUTCH ENERGY TRANSITION ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 SPATIAL STRUGGLES FOR THE ENERGY TRANSITION ................................................................................................ 1 1.3 FOCUSSING ON THE LOCAL FRISIAN SCALE ........................................................................................................... 1 1.4 FRYSLÂN AND THE FRISIAN ENERGY TRANSITION (ET) STRUGGLE ............................................................................. 2 1.5 AMBIVALENCE FOR THE REALIZATION OF THE FRISIAN ENERGY TRANSITION ................................................................ 3 1.6 PROBLEM STATEMENT .................................................................................................................................... 3 1.7 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE ..................................................................................................................................... 4 1.8 SCIENTIFIC RELEVANCE .................................................................................................................................... 5 2 1.9 RELATED WORK – KWH/M ............................................................................................................................. 6 1.10 POSITION OF THE RESEARCHER ......................................................................................................................... 6 2 RESEARCH QUESTION .............................................................................................................................. 7 2.1 ENVISIONING THE SPATIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE ENERGY TRANSITION ...................................................................... 7 3 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ...................................................................................................................