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The German energy system transformation, known as Energiewende, has gained significant political attention in the national discourse over the past decade. However, the implementation of the Energiewende has raised concerns about the justice of the transformation process among broader parts of society. This research article examines energy justice perceptions among uninvolved citizens in three rural areas (Ahrweiler, Ferdinandshof, Spremberg) experiencing conflicts over energy infrastructure projects. The residents' perceptions and experiences of energy justice are analyzed along the tenets of distributive, procedural, and recognitional justice, utilizing interviews and focus group material conducted between December 2020 and May 2022 in a secondary analysis approach. The paper describes justice perceptions among the uninvolved citizens in their daily communication, thereby identifying potential political mobilization and conflict issues. The study uncovers heterogeneous and sometimes conflicting perceptions of justice, influenced by local context and historical experiences. Key issues include distributional concerns over financial resource allocation and procedural justice debates regarding the degree and nature of citizen participation.
Kerker et al. (Wed,) studied this question.