An online event on the occasion of COP26 in Glasgow
Hosted in partnership by WWEA and Falck Renewables
10 November 2021, 12:00-14:00 h Central European Time
The transformation of the energy system from centralised, fossil energy sources towards renewable
energy goes hand in hand with a more distributed energy generation – wind, sun and the other
renewables are offered by nature everywhere on the globe.
Accordingly, renewable energy will be installed in a much more distributed way and will directly affect
citizens and communities all over the world. It will be of crucial importance that these citizens and
communities have a positive attitude against the concrete wind farms, solar panels etc in their
neighbourhood.
The event focusses in particular on wind power and aims to explore how to maximise the social support
for wind energy – by sharing information, by involving citizens in decision-making processes and by
distributing benefits amongst local communities. As a consequence of such inclusive approaches,
citizens and communities will become partners, actors and drivers of the concrete wind project and
eventually of the energy transformation.
Experts from the wind energy sector will present best practice cases and propose guiding principles for
community and citizens involvement, both for onshore as well as for offshore wind.
Speakers will include:
• Stefan Gsänger, WWEA Secretary General: WWEA is an international association with members
in more than 100 countries. The association works for a global renewable energy supply with wind
energy as a cornerstone and has a special focus on community involvement as a mean to maximise
the social momentum for wind power.
• Toni Volpe, CEO Falck Renewables: The co-host Falck Renewables has developed approaches
which include sharing benefits with local communities and is applying them in its projects in different
countries.
• Dr. Rabia Ferroukhi, Director at IRENA: IRENA’s focus of this year’s COP lies on just energy
transition. IRENA will present its approaches to foster such broad approach, including the work of
IRENA’s Coalition for Action community energy working group.
• Dirk Vansintjan, President Rescoop: Rescoop is the European umbrella of renewable energy
cooperatives and focusses in particular on local ownership of wind projects, improving in particular
the EU frameworks in favour of more citizens focussed ownership models.
• Prof. Dr. Patrick Devine-Wright is a researcher at Exeter University and a member of the IEA task
27 on social acceptance of wind power. He has done extensive research on different aspects of
acceptance and social support for renewable energy.
• Francisco Merino, Ministry of Energy of Chile: The government of Chile has recently decided to
support community ownership models in the country.
• Fergus Ewing, Member of the Scottish Parliament (tbc): Scotland has already set up frameworks
that foster the involvement of citizens and communities.
The updated programme: https://wwindea.org/online-event-on-the-occasion-of-cop26-just-energy-transition-including-citizens-and-communities-in-wind-power-projects/