Examining energy democracy and energy citizenship in advancing participatory energy transitions: A comprehensive review

Kandragula Seethapathi Srinivasa Rao; Lehar Isarani; Gandharve Kumar; Kshipra Jain

doi:10.31893/multirev.2023ss040

Keywords:

Abstract

The worldwide issues of climate change and energy access have pushed the transition to sustainable and equitable systems of energy to the forefront of global awareness. Energy democracy is a term used by the movement for environmental justice that unites the shift to renewable energy sources with initiatives to democratize energy resource production and control. Citizenship in the energy sector entails the ability to engage in systems of energy as well as positively influence the energy transition. The energy transition is related to the worldwide transformation of the energy sector from dependence on fossil fuels, such as oil, natural gas, and coal, to the use of renewable energy sources including solar as well as wind power, and the adoption of lithium-ion batteries. To give a comprehensive grasp of the concept of energy citizenship and democracy, this review investigates a wide range of studies, policy assessments, and theoretical frameworks. Data accessibility, cultural differences in involvement, and the difficulty of balancing the interests of many stakeholders in accomplishing and sustainable energy transitions might be its main obstacles. Here, we utilized safe, sustainable, affordable energy systems in energy democracy and various modes of Participatory Energy Transitions (PEDs) in energy citizenship. Then, using PEDs as a tool in urban energy transition. Energy democracy in social groups, India's energy citizenship, and energy transition in India are the obtained results. The review highlights the significance of education, awareness, and inclusiveness in advancing energy democracy and citizenship. As a conclusion, this study makes a significant contribution to the expanding canon on energy transition by analyzing and synthesizing the core ideas behind energy citizenship and energy democracy.
References
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to cite

Srinivasa Rao, K. S., Isarani, L., Kumar, G., & Jain, K. (2024). Examining energy democracy and energy citizenship in advancing participatory energy transitions: A comprehensive review. Multidisciplinary Reviews, 6, 2023ss040. https://doi.org/10.31893/multirev.2023ss040

[1] Allen E, Lyons H & Stephens J C (2019) Women’s leadership in renewable transformation, energy justice and energy democracy: Redistributing power. Energy Research & Social Science, 57, 101233. DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2019.101233

[2] Beauchampet I & Walsh B (2021) Energy citizenship in the Netherlands: The complexities of public engagement in a large-scale energy transition. Energy Research & Social Science, 76, 102056. DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2021.102056

[3] Boulanger S O M, Massari M, Longo D, Turillazzi B & Nucci C A (2021) Designing collaborative energy communities: A European overview. Energies, 14(24), 8226. DOI: 10.3390/en14248226

[4] Brown D, Hall S & Davis M E (2020) What is prosumerism for? Exploring the normative dimensions of decentralized energy transitions. Energy Research & Social Science, 66, 101475. DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2020.101475

[5] Campos I & Marin-Gonzalez E (2020) People in transitions: Energy citizenship, prosumerism and social movements in Europe. Energy Research & Social Science, 69, 101718. DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2020.101718

[6] Cantarero M M V (2020) Of renewable energy, energy democracy, and sustainable development: A roadmap to accelerate the energy transition in developing countries. Energy Research & Social Science, 70, 101716. DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2020.101716

[7] Chilvers J, Bellamy R, Pallett H & Hargreaves T (2021) A systemic approach to mapping participation with low-carbon energy transitions. Nature Energy, 6(3), 250-259. DOI: 10.1038/s41560-020-00762-w

[8] Corsini F, Certoma C, Dyer M & Frey M (2019) Participatory energy: Research, imaginaries, and practices on people contribute to energy systems in the smart city. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 142, 322-332. DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2018.07.028

[9] Dall-Orsoletta A, Cunha J, Araujo M & Ferreira P (2022) A systematic review of social innovation and community energy transitions. Energy Research & Social Science, 88, 102625. DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2022.102625

[10] DellaValle N & Czako V (2022) Empowering energy citizenship among the energy poor. Energy Research & Social Science, 89, 102654. DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2022.102654

[11] Di Lorenzo G, Martirano L, Araneo R, Cappello L, Mingoli G & Ermellino F (2021, September) Democratic power sharing in renewable energy communities: Engaging citizens for sustainable energy transition. In 2021 IEEE International Conference on Environment and Electrical Engineering and 2021 IEEE Industrial and Commercial Power Systems Europe (EEEIC/I&CPS Europe) (pp. 1-6). IEEE. DOI: 10.1109/EEEIC/ICPSEurope51590.2021.9584606

[12] Feldpausch-Parker A M, Endres D, & Peterson T R (2019) A research agenda for energy democracy. Frontiers in Communication, 4, 53. DOI: 10.3389/fcomm.2019.00053

[13] Hamann K R, Bertel M P, Ryszawska B, Lurger B, Szymanski P, Rozwadowska M, ... & Corcoran K (2023) An interdisciplinary understanding of energy citizenship: Integrating psychological, legal, and economic perspectives on a citizen-centred sustainable energy transition. Energy Research & Social Science, 97, 102959. DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2023.102959

[14] Jansma S R, Long L A N & Lee D (2023) Understanding energy citizenship: how cultural capital shapes the energy transition. Energies, 16(5), 2106. DOI: 10.3390/en16052106

[15] Jenkins K E (2019) Energy justice, energy democracy, and sustainability: Normative approaches to the consumer ownership of renewables. Energy transition: Financing consumer co-ownership in renewables, 79-97. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-93518-8_4

[16] Judson E, Fitch-Roy O & Soutar I (2022) Energy democracy: A digital future? Energy Research & Social Science, 91, 102732. DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2022.102732

[17] Kovac A, Paranos M & Marcius D (2021) Hydrogen in energy transition: A review. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 46(16), 10016-10035. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.11.256

[18] Lennon B, Dunphy N P & Sanvicente E (2019) Community acceptability and the energy transition: A citizens’ perspective. Energy, Sustainability and Society, 9(1), 1-18. DOI: 10.1186/s13705-019-0218-z

[19] Melnyk A, Cox H, Ghorbani A & Hoppe T (2023) Value dynamics in energy democracy: An exploration of community energy initiatives. Energy Research & Social Science, 102, 103163. DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2023.103163

[20] Neofytou H, Nikas A & Doukas H (2020) Sustainable energy transition readiness: A multicriteria assessment index. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 131, 109988. DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2020.109988

[21] Nouri A, Khadem S, Mutule A, Papadimitriou C, Stanev R, Cabiati M, ... & Carroll P (2022) Identification of gaps and barriers in regulations, standards, and network codes to energy citizen participation in the energy transition. Energies, 15(3), 856. DOI: 10.3390/en15030856

[22] Olawuyi D S (2021) From energy consumers to energy citizens: legal dimensions of energy citizenship. In Sustainable Energy Democracy and the Law (pp. 101-123). Brill Nijhoff. DOI: 10.1163/9789004465442_006

[23] Stephens J C (2019) Energy democracy: Redistributing power to the people through renewable transformation. Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, 61(2), 4-13. DOI: 10.1080/00139157.2019.1564212

[24] Szulecki K & Overland I (2020) Energy democracy as a process, an outcome and a goal: A conceptual review. Energy Research & Social Science, 69, 101768. DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2020.101768

[25] Thombs R P (2019) When democracy meets energy transitions: A typology of social power and energy system scale. Energy Research & Social Science, 52, 159-168. DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2019.02.020

[26] Van Wees M, Revilla B P, Fitzgerald H, Ahlers D, Romero N, Alpagut B, ... & Smit S (2022) Energy Citizenship in Positive Energy Districts—Towards a TransdisciplinaryApproach to Impact Assessment. Buildings, 12(2), 186. DOI: 10.3390/buildings12020186

[27] Williams S & Doyon A (2019) Justice in energy transitions. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 31, 144-153. DOI: 10.1016/j.eist.2018.12.001

Abstract

References

How to cite