D1.4 Region-Specific Social Innovation And Community Energy Approaches With An Application Potential In Biogas
Creators: name: Smith, Craig
name: Rassia, Stamatina
name: Delioglanis, Iakovos
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017

description: This report builds upon previous research presented in the already submitted deliverables D1.1, D1.2 and D1.3 and explores social innovation triggers to increase the likelihood of successful community biogas energy projects. The specific challenge of this document is to identify methods and approaches to stimulating the use of biogas across European communities. By analysing the three targeted by ISABEL regions in Europe, which represent a ranging maturity in biogas readiness1 from mature (Baden-Württemberg in Germany), to intermediate (Yorkshire and the Humber in UK) and preliminary (Central and Eastern Macedonia &amp; Thrace in Greece), this report identifies some specific conditions that can facilitate future biogas projects in the future. Amongst these are:<br>
• Technical knowhow, “role models” and stakeholder engagement<br>
• Methods of generating positive social responses and increasing willingness for behavioural change<br>
• Motivation mix (environmental and ecological motives, social and anthropocentric motives as well as economic)<br>
• Policy framework and public acceptance<br>
Further to the analysis of the 3-targeted regions of ISABEL, this report presents a pool of methods for the successful adoption and diffusion of bioenergy initiatives. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of these bioenergy projects has been analysed, with some of the biggest threats being the lack of sufficient communication of the benefits of biogas community bioenergy, appropriate technologies within regions, initiator interest and financial security (due to changing policies and legislations or wider national financial conditions). Numerous models were reviewed and it has been identified that the project models, which reflect their essential characteristics, are hybrid, mixed and complex. “Social franchising strategies” seem to reflect the character and goals of community bioenergy initiatives triggered by social innovations.<br>
Although there is no “single prescription for success” of a project, it has been highlighted that promoting engagement through communicative participatory processes can significantly raise awareness and public trust, which can thereafter lead to attracting investments for the given bioenergy community project. Successful community energy projects include the provision of a motivation mix that mostly target social (e.g. job opportunities) and financial incentives (e.g. energy ownership, tax-reliefs and subsidies) as well as of environmental and regulation related ones. Remarkably, while the availability of technical support of a bioenergy project may be necessary; it does not seem to offer a stand-alone incentive for its initiation, delivery and success.<br>
Appropriate frameworks and models for taking communities from the condition of unawareness, to awareness, project evaluation, adoption, implementation and diffusion have been explored. A proposed sequential approach to the successful initiation and enhancement of community bioenergy projects has been developed and presented.<br>
Overall, this report illustrates challenges and complexities of community bioenergy projects and has aimed to approach them through both theoretical (literature review) and qualitative methods (see also D1.3). Biogas communities are believed to promote a wider “common good” as their adoption, implementation and diffusion can offer valuable contributions to societal growth, economic sustainability and environmental “health” for today and the future.