The project is part of the new “Innovationscampus Nachhaltigkeit” (Innovation Campus Sustainability) of the University of Freiburg and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Under the motto “Transformations for City Regions of the Future – Climate Protection, Resource Conservation & Well-being,” researchers from the University of Freiburg and KIT, together with partners from industry, aim to contribute to the sustainable development of society – taking into account economic aspects, the common good, and social justice.

The initiation project develops, pilots, and evaluates best practices for regional innovation communities that measurably advance the goal of achieving 100 percent renewable energy generation. It also aims to contribute to strengthening democracy, while promoting social, economic, and ecological sustainability transformation.

The project builds on the results of the Climate Citizens’ Council (Klima-Bürger:innenrat, KBR) project of the Freiburg region, which took place with the broad participation of 16 municipalities, professors from the University of Freiburg, business associations, and civil society actors as well as around 100 randomly selected citizens of the region. Among other things, concrete recommendations were formulated on how the region can cover 100 percent of its energy requirements with renewable energies as quickly as possible. This has given rise to a wide range of initiatives in administration and civil society, which will be scientifically supported and strengthened.

The project uses the approach of strengthening regional innovation communities with representatives from municipal councils and environmental authorities, local business associations, energy consultancies, traders and craft businesses, as well as civil society actors. These communities will be inspired by researchers from the participating institutes to carry out further innovative pilot projects, accompanied in a well-founded manner, evaluated, and thus made even more effective.

As part of the initiation project, the pilot solar initiative “MEIN QUARTIER – CO₂-NEUTRAL JETZT!” in Freiburg’s Vauban district will be evaluated in a first step. In a second step, an innovation community of civil society actors, energy consultants, and sustainability-oriented solar traders and craft businesses will be established and researched based on the experiences in Vauban. This community will be encouraged to carry out neighborhood tours and other community solar initiatives and will be scientifically accompanied in the process. The project thus also promotes the development of expertise among local economic actors in the energy transition.

The results will eventually be incorporated into a larger research and transfer project in the Upper Rhine region.

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