ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the energiewende of Berlin, Germany. It traces the social movement led by BürgerEnergie Berlin, a cooperative formed for the purpose of building social and financial capital towards putting the city's grid under the direct control of citizens. The chapter explores a three-fold reconstruction of electricity infrastructures: technical, financial and institutional. It argues that the establishment of citizen-owned cooperative structures for the purpose of running the city's electricity grid. Operating in partnership with the municipality and responding to specific political, social and moral drivers may counter sceptics of what refers to as civic culture: a sustained civic involvement in the management of public affairs. The chapter outlines different paradigms associated with decision-making within the public and private management of infrastructures. It provides an examination of key challenges in the realisation of the energiewende as a socio-technical endeavour. The chapter focuses on the political, economic and technical issues involved in decision-making over ownership and management.
