Of transitions and models: Community engagement, democracy, and empowerment in the Austrian energy transition

Energy transition towards a greater share of renewable energy sources and even energy independence based on local generation is ongoing in several regions of Austria. The Climate and Energy Model (CEM) regions are the major vehicles of this transition, which also assumes that investment into renewable energy sources will create socio-economic benefits for local economies. However, recent experience of such CEM regions as Güssing shows the need of holistic assessment of the transition process, including elements of participatory governance such as existing possibilities for inhabitants to engage into decision-making processes regarding energy transition in their community. The results of this paper are based on case studies of three CEMs: Freistadt, Ebreichsdorf and Baden. The data are also collected with the help of in-depth qualitative interviews with key stakeholders in the region and are analyzed based on the concept framework of the ladder of Arnstein. The results show typical level and forms of inhabitants' engagement into decision-making processes in three CEMs.