Abstract
It is indisputable that renewable energies contribute to the struggle against climate change but their influence on the development of rural space remains to be further explored. The aim of this comparative study is to analyse the effect of local initiatives and projects in the domain of renewable energies on French and German rural areas. Using the concepts of Social Capital, territorial capital and multifunctionality, we show that the implementation of endogenous photovoltaic- and windpowerplant projects contribute to push the development of these areas and reinforce their resilience. On the base of the noted principle, two forms of development can be identified: an intuitional territorial development and a citizen territorial development.