This paper centers on the ability to create formation of character, as a result of citizen involvement in the municipal energy planning, in such a way it would foster a sustainable transition towards e.g. renewable energy. Based on a combination of H.G. Gadamer’s bildung and sensus communis and Aristotle’s phronesis and virtue ethics, this paper creates a method to respectively define formation of character and to grant a situational tool, by which the aim of acting is based on virtuous deliberation. The method builds on the importance of understanding the Anthropocene, that calls for a change in the way of life, towards a more environment friendly approach, where the reduction of human imprints on the global environment is in focus. The following theories will complement the paper, in order to illuminate the above-mentioned method. Paul B. Thompson’s agrarianism is utilized to show the importance of the connection between the energy production and the citizen, as a means to create understanding. The means to good citizen involvement is described by using Finn Arler and Frede Hvelplund, to dictate a way of successfully involving citizens, loosely based upon a Habermasian masterless dialogue. Furthermore, the psychologist Barry Schwartz proclaims that financial incentives can be a way to induce short term changes, but stand as a hindrance to a deeper change, as they change the desirable action from a moral action to an economic action. By utilizing experiences with citizen involvement from Hjørring Municipality and the project Et Energisk Nordjylland (An Energetic Northern Jutland), the method offered in the paper is a quadripartite method of how to attain this goal of creating sustainable formation of character qua citizen involvement.

The method consists of understanding a prerequisite setting to a successful citizen involvement, where the citizens already have their basic needs covered, to enable a possibility to obtain eudaimonia. Another element in the method is to meet the citizen on his own playing field, and basing this not solely on economic incentives. The good citizen involvement is based on creating a possibility for gaining useable experiences for the citizens, to both combat alienation from the public sphere, and to allow the citizen to obtain bildung, with phronesis as an end. After ended course, the citizen who has become gebild, is a continuing useful resource for the municipality. If successful, this method is a means to create a formation of character, that can foster a sustainable transition towards a sustainable transition.