Strategic Niche Management for Energy Grassroots Innovations: Insights from Renewable Energy Cooperatives in Italy
(2021) EKHS35 20211Department of Economic History
- Abstract
- The relevance of grassroots innovations for higher citizen participation in the sustainability transition of electricity systems has been progressively increasing. Renewable energy cooperatives are grassroots innovations that envision an electricity system where citizens become producers and consumers of electricity from renewable sources instead of being dominated by big energy companies dependent on fossil fuels. This study focuses on Italy, a Southern European country where such cooperatives are not as developed as in Northern Europe. It analyses the renewable energy cooperative ènostra, a successful example of grassroots innovation that developed in an adverse context such as the Italian electricity system. Following the strategic... (More)
- The relevance of grassroots innovations for higher citizen participation in the sustainability transition of electricity systems has been progressively increasing. Renewable energy cooperatives are grassroots innovations that envision an electricity system where citizens become producers and consumers of electricity from renewable sources instead of being dominated by big energy companies dependent on fossil fuels. This study focuses on Italy, a Southern European country where such cooperatives are not as developed as in Northern Europe. It analyses the renewable energy cooperative ènostra, a successful example of grassroots innovation that developed in an adverse context such as the Italian electricity system. Following the strategic niche management framework, the study examines the development processes of the cooperative and the challenges it is facing. The study fills a gap in the literature by supplying evidence on such a successful initiative, which sets broad expectations to attract a wide variety of citizens and stakeholders, thus building a large social network fundamental to secure resources and share knowledge. Moreover, the study shows how the fast increase in memberships is seen both as an opportunity and a threat for the cooperative since it might lead to less democratic citizen participation. The research provides insights useful for the cooperative itself, for renewable energy cooperatives that are emerging, and for policymakers interested in fostering such initiatives. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9056436
- author
- Guarnieri, Filippo LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- EKHS35 20211
- year
- 2021
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- language
- English
- id
- 9056436
- date added to LUP
- 2021-06-24 12:59:04
- date last changed
- 2021-06-24 13:09:03
@misc{9056436,
abstract = {{The relevance of grassroots innovations for higher citizen participation in the sustainability transition of electricity systems has been progressively increasing. Renewable energy cooperatives are grassroots innovations that envision an electricity system where citizens become producers and consumers of electricity from renewable sources instead of being dominated by big energy companies dependent on fossil fuels. This study focuses on Italy, a Southern European country where such cooperatives are not as developed as in Northern Europe. It analyses the renewable energy cooperative ènostra, a successful example of grassroots innovation that developed in an adverse context such as the Italian electricity system. Following the strategic niche management framework, the study examines the development processes of the cooperative and the challenges it is facing. The study fills a gap in the literature by supplying evidence on such a successful initiative, which sets broad expectations to attract a wide variety of citizens and stakeholders, thus building a large social network fundamental to secure resources and share knowledge. Moreover, the study shows how the fast increase in memberships is seen both as an opportunity and a threat for the cooperative since it might lead to less democratic citizen participation. The research provides insights useful for the cooperative itself, for renewable energy cooperatives that are emerging, and for policymakers interested in fostering such initiatives.}},
author = {{Guarnieri, Filippo}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Strategic Niche Management for Energy Grassroots Innovations: Insights from Renewable Energy Cooperatives in Italy}},
year = {{2021}},
}