scholarly journals Energy Cooperatives and Municipalities in Local Energy Governance Arrangements in Switzerland and Germany

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Schmid ◽  
Thomas Meister ◽  
Britta Klagge ◽  
Irmi Seidl
Keyword(s):  
Energy Policy ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Local Energy ◽  
Renewable Sources ◽  
Strong Linkage ◽  
Energy Governance ◽  
Citizen Initiatives ◽  
Decentralized Energy ◽  
Governance Arrangements

Participation of citizens in local energy decisions is increasingly recognized as helpful for a successful decentralized energy transition. In this article, we focus on energy cooperatives in which private individuals jointly develop facilities to generate energy from renewable sources, thus involving citizens both politically and economically. Focusing on Switzerland and Germany, we show that there is a strong linkage between such cooperatives and municipalities, characterized by collaboration and support, and that the cooperatives are well suited as collaborating partners. We also show that federalist structures are most suited for such local arrangements as municipalities must have leeway to support cooperatives in a targeted manner and to compensate for shortcomings in the energy policy of superordinate governmental levels. Based on these results, we suggest that local governments should be given sufficient financial capacities and autonomy to strengthen implementation of a decentralized energy transition that involves citizens. However, we also recognize that municipal structures alone are often insufficient and that superordinate policies, especially national subsidies, remain essential. Hence, policies at the municipal and national levels should take greater account of citizen initiatives, such as energy cooperatives, which exhibit various noncommodifiable advantages relevant to the energy transition.

scholarly journals The Regional Case for Disruptive Energy Policy: A Civic Energy Perspective

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerard McGovern
Keyword(s):  
Energy Policy ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Policy Debate ◽  
Power Structures ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Decentralized Energy ◽  
New Community ◽  
Time Critical

Abstract BackgroundThis paper deploys a regional actor perspective to detect policy enablers of and barriers to the uptake of civic energy. In common with other forms of regional, decentralized energy, the civic energy concept not only challenges historical energy business models but changes the energy agenda to prioritize community development and climate issues. Energy policy needs to react by shifting from purely market regulations to the promotion of shared community energy solutions. Both current energy structures and established policy priorities are unsuited to deliver on widely recognized energy transition and sustainable development goals. Switching from a centralized to a decentralized energy mode is viewed as a major re-structuring of a socio-technical regime. In a series of expert interviews, two disruptive policy approaches, creative destruction and experimentation, are analyzed as to whether they can contribute to overcoming path dependency and carbon lock-in.ResultsThe interviews conducted with local and regional energy facilitators in seven North European countries identified a range of active, predominantly municipal and regional policy enablers of civic energy. Motivation for specific civic energy initiatives was derived from the translation of global climate goals such as the Paris Agreement into more focused and therefore tangible local targets, which acted as direct policy enablers. At the same time critical inconsistencies and a lack of coherence were identified in several national and European energy policy mixes. Over and above dismantling existing administrative and legislative restrictions on civic energy uptake, experimentation is needed to develop new community partnerships that can host civic energy initiatives and mobilize untapped local energy resources.ConclusionsMastering the uncertainties of re-framing energy systems requires systematic experimentation and an extended mandate for local and regional authorities. Whereas the fossil versus renewable energy policy debate seems to have been won, the shift from centralized to decentralized systems threatens existing power structures and remains highly contentious.

scholarly journals A NEW EU ENERGY POLICY: TOWARDS LOCAL DEMOCRACY

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 199-219
Author(s):  
Mariusz Szyrski
Keyword(s):  
Energy Policy ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Local Energy ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Renewable Sources ◽  
Scientific Project ◽  
Eu Energy Policy ◽  
The Law ◽  
Definition Of

This article is one of the last parts of a scientific project conducted in Poland and entitled “The production and use of energy from renewable sources in the municipality as a sphere of municipal management: legal and administrative analysis,” The purpose of this article is to formulate conclusions, mainly in the legal and social aspects, on the production of energy from renewable sources at the local level. One of the main points I address is the definition of “local energy”.The article analyzes the changes in the law on energy, with particular emphasis on the law on renewable energy sources. Te first part presents a historical approach: the most important EU legislation constituting the foundation for the development of European energy. Next I discuss the basic principles of the Winter Package, a set of documents intended to transform the EU’s energy policy. In the final part of the article I attempt to indicate the latest trends in “local energy,” and to give a definition of this phenomenon.

Integrated Regional Energy Policy and Planning Framework

2011 ◽  
pp. 236-260
Author(s):  
Young-Doo Wang ◽  
Wei-Ming Chen ◽  
Yong-Kyu Park
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Policy ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Energy Planning ◽  
Local Energy ◽  
Regional Energy ◽  
Energy Technologies ◽  
Planning Framework ◽  
Decentralized Energy ◽  
Policy And Planning

Regional energy planning, which considers the unique pattern of local energy needs and local energy resources can be a tool to mitigate fossil fuel-triggered problems and enhance sustainability. Many researches underline the importance of regional energy planning but there exists some room for improvement in the planning approaches. This chapter introduces an Integrated Regional Energy Policy and Planning Framework (IREPP), which is conceptually comprehensive and also enhances feasibility of implementation. This framework contains important concepts of sustainable energy planning, including integrated resource planning, soft energy path, distributed generation using decentralized energy technologies, and energy-environment-economy-equity balance (E4). The IREPP also includes implementation feasibility analysis and highlights the importance of monitoring and evaluation. In the second part of this chapter, the IREPP is applied to the case of Jeju, the southernmost island of Korea. Jeju’s “Mid- and Long-Term Roadmap of Renewable Energy Planning” intends to promote renewable energy applications (a 50 percent target in 2050) in order to build a carbon free energy system. This study evaluates Jeju’s overall Roadmap via the lens of IREPP and also assesses the rational and feasibility of achieving its individual renewable target.

scholarly journals Innovative Approaches to Energy Governance: Preliminary Quantitative Insights from the Literature

2021 ◽  
pp. 277-290
Author(s):  
Silvia Tomasi ◽  
Sonja Gantioler
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Interpretive Analysis ◽  
Energy Governance ◽  
Decentralized Energy

AbstractWith a significantly changing global climate and related impacts on our societies becoming increasingly visible, the call for a significant change of the energy production and consumption system gets increasing attention. Defined as energy transition, such change involves at least two dimensions: one technological and one social. Especially the latter is gaining importance because it is argued that the impact of technological innovation could be limited, if not harmful, if the technological would not be matched with social innovation. This refers to the emergence of decentralized energy systems at the local scale, and the increased involvement of non-state actors in shaping the transition, like civil society, business, and local public authorities. It includes new forms of governance, ranging from energy communities to the design of urban living labs. This work aims to provide the first insights for the further development of a theoretical framework in relation to governance and social innovation in the context of energy transition. It builds on a bibliometric quantitative analysis to explore the extent to which changes in energy governance are reflected in the scientific literature. Results indicate that energy governance issues have quite settled in the scientific literature across the world, but that social innovation is only a recently emerging topic. A snapshot interpretive analysis is then performed to get a better understanding of what types of energy governance and social innovations are addressed. These mostly refer to energy communities and organization types related to the use of renewable energies (e.g., cooperatives and public–private partnerships), as well as obstacles and opportunities that drive their implementation. A keyword analysis is used to get the first indications on the direction of the discussion. Generally, this seems rather heterogeneous, though most often it is related to urban development and cities, as well as in relation to the planning practice. Future research should extend and carry out further in-depth analysis of the preliminary insights outlined in this work.

scholarly journals Energy governance and compliance with the EU regulations in Poland prior to the adoption of the 2030 Energy and Climate Framework

Securitologia ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominik Smyrgała
Keyword(s):  
Energy Policy ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Renewable Sources ◽  
Energy Mix ◽  
Renewable Sources Of Energy ◽  
Energy Governance ◽  
Management Problems ◽  
Climate And Energy Policy ◽  
The Eu

The article analyses the most important problems related to governance of the Polish energy sector prior to the adoption of the 2030 EU Climate and Energy Policy Framework. The document was to introduce major changes in the Polish energy mix due to restrictions placed upon the emissions of the CO2 and requirements related to the renewable sources of energy. The paper argues that in fact this overshadowed the pre-existing management problems of the Polish energy sector, in many aspects more serious than the provisions of the Framework itself.

scholarly journals Selected aspects of ensuring energy security in the municipality

2021 ◽  
Vol 202 (4) ◽  
pp. 690-701
Author(s):  
Klaudia Stachowiak
Keyword(s):  
Energy Policy ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Energy ◽  
Energy Potential ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Institutional Conditions ◽  
First Case ◽  
Democratic State ◽  
National Energy Policy

In a modern democratic state, it is fully justified that local governments influence on energy policy. The most serious reasons for municipalities to pursue their energy policy include implementing principles such as decentralization, subsidiarity, autonomy, and independence by local governments. It should be remembered that local governments are public authorities acting to meet the local communities’ needs. In the Polish institutional conditions, local governments may be jointly responsible for the national energy policy only if they can create local energy policy based on their energy potential. Bearing in mind the above, the relationship between the local energy policy and the national energy policy is different for each commune, depending on a given territorial unit’s specific conditions. The specificity and quality of these relationships are also determined by the municipal authorities, which can approach the policies they create strategically or rely on improvisation. In the first case, local governments plan and implement specific activities that make up the energy policy process, while in the second case, they wait for the activity and involvement of government administration bodies.

scholarly journals Changes in Electricity Production from Renewable Energy Sources in the European Union Countries in 2005–2019

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (19) ◽  
pp. 6276
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Matuszewska-Janica ◽  
Dorota Żebrowska-Suchodolska ◽  
Urszula Ala-Karvia ◽  
Marta Hozer-Koćmiel
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Energy Policy ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Renewable Sources ◽  
Eu Countries ◽  
The Eu

The policy related to the use of renewable sources is a key element of the energy policy executed in the European Union (EU). One of the targets set for 2050 is to increase the share of electricity in energy consumption to 50%, and 80% of electricity is to be generated from low-carbon sources. In recent years, the EU economies have significantly modified their electricity production, which raises the question of the scale of these changes. The aim of the presented analysis is to assess changes in the use of renewable sources for electricity production in the EU countries in 2005–2019. Gini coefficient and k-mean are applied in the analysis. The conducted research shows that EU countries, in line with the energy policy assumptions, have both increased the share of renewable sources in energy production, especially in electricity production, as well as increased the diversity of used renewable sources. The results also indicate a vast diversity in terms of the use of such sources for the production of renewable electricity in the EU. This indicates that the energy transition is being implemented by EU countries with individual country-level approaches. Nonetheless, a variety of the EU’s both support and restrictive measures are of considerable importance for the ongoing energy transition.

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