Community Renewable Energy
What is community renewable
energy?
• Based on localised energy
literature from the 1970s
• Started in the Netherlands in
the late 80s. In the UK mostly
since the 2000s
• Many different definitions &
practices
– Decentralised, cooperative,
local, community
• Includes assumptions about
process and outcome
(Walker and Devine-Wright, 2008)
Why is it worth researching?
• 1. Developments on ‘the ground’
• 2. Policy developments
• 3. Academics – filling the ‘gap’
Why the Netherlands and Scotland?
• The Netherlands often considered a pioneer of ecological
modernisation policies. Now lagging behind others:
– Dutch 2020 Renewable Electricity target: 37 %
– Scottish 2020 Renewable Energy Target: 100%
– Energy cooperatives started in the 80s, then nothing, until +/-5 years
ago.
• Different policy approaches by central government
– Allows for debate regarding social justice & negotiation of power in
society
• Different operational models
– Cooperatives versus Development Trusts  potential differences in
procedural and distributive justice.
Two broad categories
• What: Cooperatives
• Where: England, Wales,
continental Europe
• Who pays: members,
bank loan
• Who benefits:
Individuals (members)
and community
benefits. Trade off
between the two.
• What: Development
companies
• Where: Scotland
• Who pays: the
government, bank loan
• Who benefits:
Community benefits
Why are people setting up initiatives?
Independent, 28/10/13
Guardian, 27/10/13
Why are people setting up initiatives?
• Environmental
– Reduce carbon emissions
– Wanting to become a carbon neutral community
– Educating young people about the environment
• Social
–
–
–
–
Something to bring people together, work to a common goal
Being in control of development
Enhance local distinctiveness
Develop new skills, confidence
• Economic reasons
– Create employment
– Bring money into the local economy / fund other community projects
– Reduce energy bills
The role of central government
You can call it liberalism. You can call it empowerment. You can call it freedom. You
can call it responsibility. I call it the Big Society. The Big Society is about a huge culture
change…where people…don’t always turn to officials…for answers to the problems
they face…but instead feel both free and powerful enough to help themselves and
their own communities.
(David Cameron 2010)
The classic welfare state is slowly but surely turning into a participative society.
Anyone who is capable to do so, is asked to take responsibility for his or her own life
and environment. When people shape their future, they do not just add value to their
own lives, but also to society as a whole.
(Dutch King Willem-Alexander 2013)
The role of central government
• Scotland
– Funding:
• Grants & loans for
community groups
• FiTs
– Advice: Community
Energy Scotland, Local
Energy Scotland,
Highland & Island
Enterprise
• Netherlands
– Signed a new Energy
Agreement in September
– Funding: discounted
energy tariff for
members of energy
coops.
– Advice: none.
Suggested benefits
Economic
•
•
•
Involves smaller & less risky
Create local employment
Enhance local economies
Social
•
•
•
•
Fosters behaviour change
Enhance community empowerment/resilience
Contributes to a participative democracy
Enhances social acceptability
Environmental
•
•
Reduced carbon emissions
Can potentially contribute to greater energy awareness / reduced energy consumption
Technical
•
•
Fewer transmission losses
Enhances energy security
It’s not as straightforward as it seems…
Only limited critical evaluation of community/local energy initiatives so
far
• What is ‘community’?
– Who?
– Where?
• Who participates?
• Who benefits?
• How are decisions made? By whom?
• How is policy made?
• Does government policy restrict or support the development of
local energy?
MSc research
• 2 case studies in the Scottish Highlands
• Both currently developing renewable energy
initiatives
– One was looking at hydro, after having previously
considered wind energy
– The other was looking at hydro & wind energy.
MSc research framework
Aim: to establish the role contextual concepts of ‘place’ and ‘community’ play in the
development of community energy developments
MSc research findings
• Community energy can be just as controversial as large scale
developments
MSc research findings
• What is community?
“What we are trying to do…it is not about us [as individuals], it is about a
sustainable future for the community.”
Vs.
“There is no such thing as community here.”
• The role of place
“I think we ought to have a few places where nobody goes. I think it [a renewable
energy development] is sort of morally wrong”
Vs.
“Wild land, ‘we go there for the weekend’. There is no wild land here”.
PhD research
• Focus on social & distributional aspects of community
energy
–
–
–
–
–
‘Positive’ environmental justice
How to measure success?
Different types of projects, different benefits
Why do some projects get off the ground and others don’t?
Local ≠ Socially just
• Role policy plays in this
– Localism as a response to, or part of, neoliberalism
• Taking inspiration from the broader literature on
international development & participation.
Importance
• Wrong to assume
community or locally based
projects are automatically
better than large scale
projects, but do they have
the potential to be better?
– Direct link developing
organisation – local
residents.
Importance
• Ensuring that differences within and between
communities are taken into account
• Ensuring local projects do not just benefit the
more capable members of society
• This may not be a quick process to reduce carbon
emissions but should ensure long-term, locally
appropriate solutions that have socio-economic
as well as environmental benefits
Things to think about
• Lots!