The energy transition will produce winners and losers. The farmers' protests against the abolition of agricultural diesel subsidies are continuing, citizens' initiatives are preventing wind farms and are up in arms against planned battery factories. Many groups in society feel patronized by the state when it comes to the energy transition, which harbors enormous potential for conflict. Wouldn't more citizen participation increase acceptance of the energy transition? Shouldn't more responsibility for municipal and local energy transition projects be placed in the hands of citizens? And how can the real hardship cases, where it is clear that they will not benefit from the changes, be cushioned by the state? Dr. Katja Schumacher from the Öko-Institut and Prof. Uwe Pfenning from the University of Stuttgart discuss how the energy transition can work in a socially responsible way and from the bottom up.
