Good practices
Good practices

Brochure

Community & Local Benefits in electricity grid development

Brochure

Topic

Public Acceptance & Engagement

Dimension

Energy & Society

Electricity grids are the backbone of the European energy transition. Building new grids and enhancing existing ones is more essential than ever to support the fast growth of renewable energy and electrification. However, undertakings as large as grid projects cannot be planned and implemented without considering the context they are built in and the environments and communities they affect. Ideally, the public is brought along for every step of the grid building process and affected local communities are able to experience meaningful benefits stemming from electricity infrastructure projects.

For many years, the understanding of benefit sharing and community gains related to grid projects have largely focused on monetary compensations for landowners who are directly affected by projects or direct community payments, which facilitated local investments (see also RGI’s previous work on ‘Community Payments’).

The aim of this brochure is to show the value of a more holistic approach to community and local benefits (CLB). Following our previous work on community payments, this publication provides key elements supporting a broader approach conceptually and in practical terms, backed by existing best practices from European grid operators.

Download the full brochure

contact

Stephanie Bätjer

Director – Communication

Stephanie Bätjer

Director – Communication

t: +49 30 2332 11017
Stephanie Bätjer is leading the Renewables Grid Initiative’s communication and event activities as Programme Manager – Communication. She is also heavily involved in RGI’s policy work and all activities that look at social engagement around grids. She previously worked in the communications team of the European Climate Foundation. Stephanie has studied at the Universities of Marburg and Hamburg, Germany, and the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. She holds degrees in political science and journalism.

Dr. Ira Shefer

Manager – Energy Systems

Dr. Ira Shefer

Manager – Energy Systems

t: +49 30 2332 11000
Ira joined the Technical Team at RGI in July 2023. Previously he worked in the BMBF-funded research project Ariadne on local acceptance of wind energy in Germany. Ira holds a Ph.d. from the Technical University of Munich, researching transnational collaborations and their impacts on local climate governance and policy making. He has a MA of Environmental Studies at Nagoya University (Japan) and has a joint Bachelor of Law (LLB) and Asian Studies from Haifa University (Israel. Ira was engaged in several research initiatives that addressed, among others, urban climate governance (at RIFS, Germany) and green building (ILGBC, Israel). He was also a reporter and sections editor at an Israeli magazine for seven years, covering environmental and development issues.

Anaïs Picart

Junior Manager – Socio-Energy Systems

Anaïs Picart

Junior Manager – Socio-Energy Systems

t: +49 30 2332 211053
Anaïs joined RGI in January 2025 as Junior Manager – Socio-Energy Systems. She previously gained professional experience as an intern in a Spanish environmental NGO, eco-union and in a Paris-based think-tank, Iddri, researching on energy transition. In Berlin, and prior to joining RGI, she worked at the French-German Forum for the Future. She holds a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs and Environmental Policy from Sciences Po Paris University.

Stephanie Bätjer

Director – Communication

Stephanie Bätjer

Director – Communication

t: +49 30 2332 11017
Stephanie Bätjer is leading the Renewables Grid Initiative’s communication and event activities as Programme Manager – Communication. She is also heavily involved in RGI’s policy work and all activities that look at social engagement around grids. She previously worked in the communications team of the European Climate Foundation. Stephanie has studied at the Universities of Marburg and Hamburg, Germany, and the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. She holds degrees in political science and journalism.

Dr. Ira Shefer

Manager – Energy Systems

Dr. Ira Shefer

Manager – Energy Systems

t: +49 30 2332 11000
Ira joined the Technical Team at RGI in July 2023. Previously he worked in the BMBF-funded research project Ariadne on local acceptance of wind energy in Germany. Ira holds a Ph.d. from the Technical University of Munich, researching transnational collaborations and their impacts on local climate governance and policy making. He has a MA of Environmental Studies at Nagoya University (Japan) and has a joint Bachelor of Law (LLB) and Asian Studies from Haifa University (Israel. Ira was engaged in several research initiatives that addressed, among others, urban climate governance (at RIFS, Germany) and green building (ILGBC, Israel). He was also a reporter and sections editor at an Israeli magazine for seven years, covering environmental and development issues.

Anaïs Picart

Junior Manager – Socio-Energy Systems

Anaïs Picart

Junior Manager – Socio-Energy Systems

t: +49 30 2332 211053
Anaïs joined RGI in January 2025 as Junior Manager – Socio-Energy Systems. She previously gained professional experience as an intern in a Spanish environmental NGO, eco-union and in a Paris-based think-tank, Iddri, researching on energy transition. In Berlin, and prior to joining RGI, she worked at the French-German Forum for the Future. She holds a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs and Environmental Policy from Sciences Po Paris University.