Energy citizenship in the Netherlands: The complexities of public engagement in a large-scale energy transition

Abstract

The Netherlands aims to transition to a gas-free built environment by 2050, with meaningful public engagement considered central to success. We investigated how local government stakeholders – the primary facilitators of the transition – perceive the role of citizens and energy citizenship in achieving this transition at household level. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with officials from nine municipalities. Our data show mixed perceptions as to citizen interest and financial willingness and/or capacity to adopt gas-free alternatives. The cost of alternatives and practicalities of citizen engagement are considered the main barriers to the gas-free transition. Two alternatives are considered most appropriate in the municipalities that participated in our study: a collective heat network and an all-electric approach. We find that these alternatives do not offer equal opportunities to foster energy citizenship. A collective heat network, while socially inclusive, represents a passive form of citizen engagement due to its central and distant nature, though this can be mitigated by developing local heat cooperatives. In contrast, all-electric installations are more socially exclusive (due to high investment costs), but implementation requires active citizen engagement. Combining these two options could represent a viable option for a gas-free transition that represents a form of sustainable development.