Abstract: Energy use in the context of degrowth goes beyond the claim for dematerialization and energy efficiency improvements. Although we can observe a decoupling of energy from growth in the past decade, absolute energy consumption is still increasing worldwide. Energy efficiency improvements are not sufficient to overcome an exploitation of energy resources and enhance the rebound-effect to even more energy consumption. Components that have to be considered for a successful change of the energy system include energy technologies, policy framework, behavioural changes, changes of institutional settings, and system dynamics. Critical issues in the field of energy technologies may cover governing large infrastructure systems for energy supply when using renewable energy sources or the self-organisation of energy supply by enforcing the self-construction of energy technologies. As these critical issues and componenets are interrelated with each other and other areas a deeper look is indispensable. This gives the possibility to detect new relationships between the areas of transition and also to gain knowledge about favouring and hindering factors for the transformative process

This media entry was a contribution to the special session "Exploring transformation to a radical alternative society (RAGE)" at the 4th International Degrowth Conference in Leipzig in 2014.