A case study of social conflicts surrounding the energy transition (with a focus on Germany) is used to illustrate which aspects come into focus when applying the various presented theoretical approaches to the conflict. It becomes clear why conflicts surrounding the energy transition have a high potential for escalation and why it is difficult to settle them. This is due, among other things, to the strong recourse to moral ligatures by the conflicting parties, their low level of organization, and the lack of a third party that could settle the conflict.