Exporting an Energy Transition? Policy Transfer and the German Energiewende

Studies of policy transfer and diffusion so far rather observed the phenomenon of policies spreading than analysing the driving forces at play when ideas, policies and programmes travel between political entities. Moreover, the active role of pioneer countries in processes of diffusion and transfer remains largely underexplored. Beyond a mechanical account of such processes, the paper investigates Germany’s policy promotion efforts with regard to its energy transition, the Energiewende. Drawing upon data gathered through semi-structured interviews and participant observation, the proposed paper analyses strategies, instruments and impacts of “encouraged” transfer of sustainable energy policies between Germany and Morocco. The heterogeneity of German transfer actors is given particular attention and their policy transfer agendas are analysed from a political economy perspective. The paper claims that such policy promotion strategies are successful that do not contradict the interests of local incumbents and simultaneously benefit the heterogeneous interests of German transfer actors.