| dc.description.abstract | The Netherlands are member of the UNFCCC [United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change] and have ratified the Paris Agreement so they have to contribute to the goals set in the Paris Agreement. 30% of the total energy consumption in the Netherlands is used for the heating of houses, buildings and greenhouses. Specifically, 90% of the energy we exploit to heat houses is derived from natural gas (Energieagenda, 2016). Thus, significant emission reductions can be achieved with the elimination of natural gas. The national government Therefore has decided to set a goal to phase-out natural gas by 2050. To achieve this goal, an energy transition is necessary. The unique aspect of the energy transition in the Netherlands is, the goals set by the government requires intervening in private property which is individual possession. Kollmuss & Agyman (2002) and Ryghaug et al. (2018) recommend to execute a more comprehensive study that would include external factors related to the decision space of citizens regarding energy transitions. The municipality has an executing role in shaping the phase-out of natural gas, a role obligated by the national government. Thus, this research focusses on the end user who is owner and occupier of an existing house and the local government as executor of the natural gas phase out. So, the purpose of this qualitative study is, to investigate how the local government views the role of the end user (owner-occupier) in the natural gas phase-out, consequently constraining and enabling the end user in making their decision about an alternative for natural gas to heat their existing houses in the Netherlands.
The research started by stating the uniqueness of the case in the Netherlands namely, national policies which intervene strongly in private property. The second chapter elaborates on the scientific literature regarding energy transitions and the role of the end user and municipality. Consequently, stating the gap in the literature which will provide the base for the aim and research question, which is chapter three. The fourth chapter is concerned with the methodology used for this study. The study will use qualitative methods, semi-structured interviews. The interviews are used to uncover and unravel the intertangled relationship and dynamic between the municipality and the end users regarding the phase-out of natural gas. Chapter five will analyse policy documents of the research cases, but also the regional and national policy regarding the natural gas phase-out. Next, the data analysis will be presented, this chapter (six) analyses the data collected from the interviews and draws results. The last chapter, seven, will state the conclusion. Here an answer will be provided to the two sub questions: 1. How does the local government view the process of the natural gas phase-out in their municipality regarding the role of the end user? 2. How do the local government and the end user constrain and enable each other in the phase-out of natural gas? Lastly, the limitations of this research are discussed together with recommendations for further investigations and implications.
The finding emerging from this study is, the end user is the only actor who has the hard power to make a decision about their house, within the current circumstances. However, in this research the municipality has been defined to be the key actor in the natural gas phase-out. The results from the policy analysis uncovered a variety of processes at the municipalities, all respondents were under the impression that their municipality is in the starting phase of developing a plan for the process to phase-out natural gas. Additionally, the respondents stated that citizens initiatives are embraced by municipalities. Also, municipalities focus on “no-regret measures” because of insecurities about how techniques and laws will develop. This theme of uncertainty recurred throughout the interviews. The next section was concerned with the power of the municipality and end user. The results indicated that the municipality struggles in finding the balance between hearing everybody and efficiency. Furthermore, the municipality is obligated to interact with its inhabitants and, there are no legal obligations that provide coercion measures. Lastly, the respondents expect people to wait for the next even better technical innovations in the future and therefore delay the implementation of an alternative for natural gas.
The purpose of this qualitative explorative study was, to investigate how the local government views the role of the end user (owner-occupier) in the natural gas phase-out, and its consequently constraining or enabling effect on the end users’ decision-making about an alternative for natural gas to heat their existing houses in the Netherlands. The answer to this question is twofold. Based on the scientific literature and the results of this study there is a high possibility that the reason for a lack of a systematic approach of the municipality to phase out natural gas is a) uncertainty about the future (thus different predictions to base plans on and consequently developing different approaches) and b) a lack of pressure, which is needed to prioritise the process of phasing out natural gas. Notwithstanding the limited sample, the study confirmed that the municipality has a leading role in shaping the energy transition, but does not know how to execute this role because the municipality is weak in enforcement, because the end user has the hard power to make a decision about their house, within the current circumstances. | |
