Conference of the Sustainable Consumption Research and Action Initiative (SCO...
Community innovation in sustainable energy
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Editor's Notes
Purpose of the presentation – introduce people to a project that is ongoing, and flag up some of the methodological issues we have had to address in terms of conceptualising community energy (as grassroots innovations), and the dilemmas that these grassroots innovators are grappling with – and spark a discussion about what this means for niche theory, as well as strategies for boosting GIS
Three year research project (2010 – 2013) funded by EPSRC and ECLEER-EdFThree partners – SPRU, CSERGE, and ECLEERRootedness of community energy projects raises all sorts of interesting questions about the facility with which they can spread, grow and scale-upBold signifies preliminary evidence we are drawing upon in this presentation
Community development been a contested term and resource throughout its history. Providing competing legitimacies for different interests and purposes.Geographical-; identity-; issue-based communities. Sustainable energy = issue-based, clearly, with big overlap of geography and identitySustainable energy? For whom, how, and why – the contested qualities of sustainability. CE projects as ‘simple’ niches cf. ‘strategic’ niches, i.e. Groups who wish to simply power their community centre with cleaner energy used more efficiently (saving money), cf. groups who see themselves as part of a decentralised, democratic energy revolution.Signals three enduring issues in community development generally:Community development as conservative/ameliorating treatment of immediate surface issues or transformational/empowering address of root causes in socio-economic justiceIssues about the balance between community development as a technical, professionalised service cf. value-based radical activism.3. Cutting across these two:Development for communities – top-down, role in management/delivery of activities (targets and outputs)Development with communities – bottom-up, role in strategic direction/negotiation of activities (process and outcomes)1) co-operatives, such as windfarms and community heating projects; 2) community charities, such as associations and organisations; 3) development trusts which raise funds for community energy projects ; and 4) shares owned by a local community organisation, for instance in energy projects
Intermediaries include:policy-makers (such as DECC) businesses interested in community energy (such as Good Energy)
Niche analytical framework informing our research – networks of projects - opportunities arising from policy interest (and some utilities)
“The aims of the event were to:Explore how community organisations can play a key role in the delivery of carbon reduction targetsEnable a broad range of ‘community and climate’ organisations to get up to speed on a developing new agenda, and to jointly discuss their responsesStrengthen the capacity of this ‘community and climate’ sectorEnable the development of relationships between this sector and other agencies.”
Table too dichotomous – some things not compatible or mutually exclusive