Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

This study analyses how public participation is framed within Germany’s Heat Transition, a key element of the national climate neutrality strategy. Drawing on a qualitative frame analysis of planning handbooks and interviews with municipal representatives developing Communal Heat Plans, the research identifies two dominant framings of participation: instrumental and transformative. The instrumental frame conceptualizes participation as a tool to generate acceptance and reduce resistance, aligning with prevailing trends in institutionalised energy planning. By adopting rational planning logics, the thesis contributes to previous findings that planning energy transitions emphasizes efficiency and often avoids contestation. In contrast, the transformative frame views participation as a means to foster structural change, empower citizens, and democratize decision-making. The study adds to existing literature by illustrating how these coexisting frames make decisions in participatory planning processes and outcomes logical. It contributes to current research on planning theory and planning reality, showing that while participation is required by national governments, it often faces constraints on the local level.