Communication toolkit for energy cooperatives

In order to successfully implement the energy transition, not only the transformation towards the use of renewable energies, but also an absolute reduction of primary energy consumption is essential. Measures that promote sufficiency lifestyles are in part hardly researched or are considered difficult to implement. Energy cooperatives can expand their activities to promote energy sufficiency. They are established actors in the energy transition and contribute to nature- and climate-friendly energy production and - through broad participation - to greater acceptance of the energy transition. Through their proximity to their members, energy cooperatives can reach consumers directly and sensitise and activate them for the topic of absolute reduction of energy consumption.

As part of the project "Energy cooperatives as multipliers for energy sufficiency", the communication toolkit for (citizen) energy cooperatives (*only available in German) was developed. Following the motto "Making sufficiency a topic and activating new target groups", the toolkit guides project teams step by step through the development of communication campaigns or events.

How to apply the toolkit

The toolkit can be used independently bya team or supported by professional facilitation. The individual tools build on each other, but do not have to be applied one after the other. Individual tools can also be selected, depending on the respective challenges a team might have or for the specific next steps in a project.

How the toolkit is structured

The toolkit contains 7 tools. They cover the complete process - from the idea to the concrete planning of a communication project.

• Tool 1: Alignment & Orientation
• Tool 2: Visual Prototyping
• Tool 3: Target group analysis
• Tool 4: Formats & Channels
• Tool 5: Narrative Reflection
• Tool 6: Storytelling
• Tool 7: Project planning

Toolkit Download

Part of each tool are worksheets to fill in. Templates for worksheets can be found in the PDF (*only available in German) and are used for structured exchange within the project team. The worksheets are not only suitable for developing ideas or solutions, but also enable structured documentation of the results. It is best to enlarge them on flipcharts for joint processing in the team.

Download the toolkit

First impressions of the toolkit

In the course of the project, the toolkit was tested with different energy cooperatives and all tools were applied in moderated workshops.

In the following video, representatives of various energy cooperatives talk about their impressions of working with the communication toolkit, addressing the following questions:

• How has your communication work benefited from the toolkit?
• Which of the tools was most helpful for you in your communication work?
• Would you recommend other energy cooperatives to work with the toolkit?

Under the overall management of adelphi, the project team - together with the Institute for Ecological Economy Research - supported energy cooperatives in the development and implementation of communication offers on the topic of energy sufficiency. The aim of the project was to analyse instruments used by energy cooperatives to promote sufficiency (such as incentive systems and communication measures) and to examine their effectiveness. Our practical partner Energie vor Ort GmbH (a subsidiary of the Heidelberger Energiegenossenschaft) had been involved in the project from the beginning and provided a direct line to relevant target groups.