Digital tools in stakeholder participation for the German Energy Transition. Can digital tools improve participation and its outcome?

Stakeholder participation is particularly important for the German energy transition (Energiewende). While there is consensus about its necessity, politicians, administrations, and citizens have to deal with the effects of infrastructure construction on a local level. The success of participation depends on several factors, to some of which digital tools (e.g., online communication or Virtual Reality visualization) can contribute. Decisions can be improved by reducing the complexity of technical knowledge, simplifying data processing, picturing results in an intuitive way, and making participation more attractive. This chapter focuses on the potential of visualization tools. It describes and evaluates two case studies from the perspective of the executing organization on the one hand and the involved citizens on the other hand: the Forbach Pumped-storage Power Plant and the Traffic development in Herrenberg. However, digital instruments cannot obviate the need for a tailor-made concept and personal contact through which participatory culture can develop in the first place.