A two-century analysis of household energy transitions in Europe and the United States: From the Swiss Alps to Wisconsin

Aim: This study examines the impact of governance on decentralized energy transitions. Knowledge of how particular jurisdictions and their governance arrangements influence these transitions can help strengthen and contextualize divergent trajectories of decentralized energy transitions and—most importantly—reveal the role of geographical context in policy change. Design: This research gap is addressed in this paper by comparing the uptake of decentralized energy transitions in three cities in three different countries—Luleå (Sweden), Saskatoon (Canada), and Anchorage (United States). The jurisdictions in each city has unique governance contexts pertaining to electric utilities, regulations, public policy, and public acceptance. By comparing these transitions, this study highlights the governance considerations for decentralized energy transitions and asks how does governance impact decentralized energy transitions in cities? To answer this question, actors within various public, private, and sectoral capacities were interviewed to provide their insights on decentralized energy transitions in each jurisdiction. Conclusion: I present five governance dimensions that impact decentralized energy transitions and explain how these factors can be included to provide a more contextual understanding of patterns of decentralized energy transitions in cities. Originality: Much of the literature on decentralized energy and cities has focused on project and sectoral level analysis and hasn’t considered the holistic nature of the energy system transition. A particular gap that would help inform a broader understanding is the jurisdictional governance impacts of decentralization energy transitions. Implications of the Research: In practical terms, the results could be used to inform inter-jurisdictional comparisons of decentralization energy projects. Limitations of the Research: Given that there were three case studies, it is not possible to make generalizable claims from the results.

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Reviewing the complexity of energy behavior: Technologies, analytical traditions, and household energy consumption data in the United States

Energy Research & Social Science ◽

10.1016/j.erss.2019.101289 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 59 ◽

pp. 101289 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Lazarus Adua

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Energy Consumption ◽

The United States ◽

Household Energy ◽

Household Energy Consumption ◽

Consumption Data ◽

Energy Behavior

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A measurement strategy to address disparities across household energy burdens

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-021-27673-y ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Eric Scheier ◽

Noah Kittner

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Native American ◽

Poverty Line ◽

The United States ◽

Critical Groups ◽

Net Energy ◽

Energy Poverty ◽

Household Energy ◽

Energy Expenditures ◽

Eligibility Requirements

AbstractEnergy inequity is an issue of increasing urgency. Few policy-relevant datasets evaluate the energy burden of typical American households. Here, we develop a framework using Net Energy Analysis and household socioeconomic data to measure systematic energy inequity among critical groups that need policy attention. We find substantial instances of energy poverty in the United States – 16% of households experience energy poverty as presently defined as spending more than 6% of household income on energy expenditures. More than 5.2 million households above the Federal Poverty Line face energy poverty, disproportionately burdening Black, Hispanic, and Native American communities. For solar, wind, and energy efficiency to address socioeconomic mobility, programs must reduce energy expenditures by expanding eligibility requirements for support and access to improved conservation measures, efficiency upgrades, and distributed renewables. We recommend the United States develop a more inclusive federal energy poverty categorization that increases assistance for household energy costs.

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