Thijs Langevoort

This research proposal gives an outline of an exploratory case study on the governance of the energy transition in the Dutch region Foodvalley. Foodvalley is a region consisting of eight municipalities, located over two provinces. The region is responsible for the spatial implementation of wind and solar energy via a Regional Energy Strategy (RES). The region has adopted a governance approach called the Mutual Gains Approach (MGA), which aims to improve the governance process and outcomes. The case is unique due to its complicated political structure, which makes the research relevant for both academia and society. MGA will be assessed by conducting semi-structured interviews with participants in RES Foodvalley. This will be complemented by documentation analysis of internal and external documents. The researcher will draw conclusions through interpretation of the results. Even though it is not clear how successful the implementation of MGA was in Foodvalley, this inductive approach allows for the identification of alternative findings. These may be relevant for future research on similar cases and for improving the current governance process in RES Foodvalley and other RES-regions