Performing energy justice futures: How visions of just futures shape discourses and practices in the United Kingdom’s community energy sector

Patel, N. (2024). Performing energy justice futures: How visions of just futures shape discourses and practices in the United Kingdom’s community energy sector. Energy Research & Social Science, 111, 103475. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2024.103475

Abstract

The UK’s Community Energy sector is a grassroots-led movement that tackles the country’s decarbonisation and fuel poverty challenges by building community-scale renewable projects and directing funds towards low-income households. Comparative studies indicate that community energy initiatives are more durable and engage citizens more deeply than public and private counterparts. Some scholars emphasise the importance of community energy intermediaries in aggregating knowledge across the sector and engaging in policy advocacy and argue that these intermediaries should be strengthened to support energy justice practices. However, less is known about how community groups and intermediaries across the sector understand energy justice. Drawing on the conceptual lenses of sociotechnical imaginaries and critical niche perspectives, this paper investigates the contending visions and practices of energy justice amongst community energy groups and intermediaries. Through qualitative interviews with 15 community energy groups and 5 community energy intermediaries, the paper finds a core institutionally stabilised imaginary (Alternative Economy), an emerging imaginary that is not yet institutionally supported by intermediaries (Just Transition), and a critical niche perspective that challenges the sector’s claims to represent diverse communities (Beyond Inclusion). Understanding the differences between these visions and their supporting coalitions is crucial for effective public policy and sectoral strategy.