Der Ausbau Erneuerbarer Energien im Föderalismus und Mehrebenensystem – Neoklassische und neoinstitutionalistische Perspektiven

The expansion of renewable energies is at the heart of the energy turnaround in Germany. In the electricity sector in particular, EU-, national-, state- and municipal-level policies and civil society support interact closely, but not without tensions. This study aims to uncover and reflect upon certain scientific foundations of policymaking in the German energy turnaround. For this purpose the economic basics of (renewable) energy are explained and an overview about policies and governance is given. This serves to reflect upon normative theories and policy recommendations in the field. Therefore, the second part of this study contrasts the neoclassical-welfare economic theory of federalism on the one hand, and the polycentric or multilevel governance approach associated with Elinor and Vincent Ostrom on the other hand. Policy recommendations in the tradition of Ostrom emphasize the energy turnaround “in practice”, i.e. a process that is continuously adapted in a broader societal discourse. This conflicts with the neoclassical thinking in terms of states (of the world) and outcomes and its focus on efficiency issues (e.g. expansion goals with certain impacts). There is some common ground in so far as neoclassical economics accounts for heterogeneous citizen preferences and the innovation advantages of laboratory or bottom-up federalism. Moreover, both approaches may also recognize certain weak points and (empirical) deficits given the current state of research.