Community renewable energy at a crossroads: A think piece on degrowth, technology, and the democratization of the German energy system

Rommel, Jens; Radtke, Jörg; Jorck, Gerrit von; Mey, Franziska; Yildiz, Özgür

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.11.114

Cited by 85 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 69 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…With increased decentralization, local communities have, in selected instances, become more active in power generation and its evolution. Such was the case of small scale hydro power development in China during the 20th century [30], Germany today [31], and others. This may increase the sense of ownership within the community/area served and reduce the risk of an unexpected interruption for other-than-technical reasons.…”

Section: Rationalementioning

confidence: 99%

Supporting Electrification Policy in Fragile States: A Conflict-Adjusted Geospatial Least Cost Approach for Afghanistan

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Roughly two billion people live in areas that regularly suffer from conflict, violence, and instability. Infrastructure development in those areas is very difficult to implement and fund. As an example, electrification systems face major challenges such as ensuring the security of the workforce or reliability of power supply. This paper presents electrification results from an explorative methodology, where the costs and risks of conflict are explicitly considered in a geo-spatial, least cost electrification model. Discount factor and risk premium adjustments are introduced per technology and location in order to examine changes in electrification outlooks in Afghanistan. Findings indicate that the cost optimal electrification mix is very sensitive to the local context; yet, certain patterns emerge. Urban populations create a strong consumer base for grid electricity, in some cases even under higher risk. For peri-urban and rural areas, electrification options are more sensitive to conflict-induced risk variation. In this paper, we identify these inflection points, quantify key decision parameters, and present policy recommendations for universal electrification of Afghanistan by 2030.

show abstract

Section: Rationalementioning

confidence: 99%

Supporting Electrification Policy in Fragile States: A Conflict-Adjusted Geospatial Least Cost Approach for Afghanistan

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This means that there is a necessity to rethink the governance of large scale infrastructure systems [4,5] as the upscaling of new technologies creates new challenges [6]. The introduction of new innovations has led to a shift of the relation between consumers, producers, providers, and public organisations [7][8][9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shifting Infrastructure Landscapes in a Circular Economy: An Institutional Work Analysis of the Water and Energy Sector

Giezen

2018

Sustainability

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Under pressure by the transition towards a circular economy, the infrastructure landscape is changing. Using Institutional Work as an analytical lens, this article analyses the work actors do to change and adapt institutional structures. In this process of restructuring, the research shows that there are four dominant types of institutional work: Enabling, Constructing Identities, Constructing Normative Networks, and Changing Normative Associations. The increasing fragmentation of infrastructure as well as the increasing connections made between different flows forces organisations to readjust their internal institutions as well as those that guide their interactions with their surroundings such as other organisational actors as well as citizens. Circularity requires a restructuring of infrastructure governance in order to adapt to the increasing flux caused by decentralised technologies and the need for integration of different systems. Additionally, the actors associated with energy and water infrastructure are responding accordingly.

show abstract

“…Disconnecting from technological systems through political means is a practical step towards achieving a more manageable balance, one which will help advance the degrowth society. Several thinkers (Schumacher, 1973;Illich, 1973;Schor, 2011), in addition to Winner, have already pointed out a set of features of technology as reinforcing the commons and community ties (Winner, 1978;Rommel et al, 2018). The withdrawal from energy-and expertise-intensive technological systems represents an opportunity to observe, renew and identify other favored socialtechnological configurations (Winner, 1978).…”

Section: Practices For a Reform Of Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This intermittence demands commitment in the form of attention and maintenance, shaping users' lives and generating convivial interactions, ranging from negotiations on how and when to use certain appliances to tinkering with the design and optimization of a small-scale electrical network. As Rommel et al state "these forms of decentralized and open technology enable people to fulfill their needs through their own creativity independent from the market" (Rommel et al, 2018). The home power movement illustrates ways in which changes can be made to forms of life in which the satisfaction of basic human needs has become institutiondependent.…”

Section: Practices For a Reform Of Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Methodological Luddism: A concept for tying degrowth to the assessment and regulation of technologies

Garcia

Jerónimo

Carvalho

2018

Journal of Cleaner Production

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This article sets out an alternative approach to the assessment and regulation of technology and innovation, situated in and aiming at degrowth and building on an idea first put forward in the late 1970s by Langdon Winner called "methodological Luddism". Methodological Luddism does not have the original meaning of destroying machines, nor does it reflect a prejudiced attitude or a negative view of technology. As outlined in this article, it sets out to overcome the presumption that technology is valueneutral and to lower the inflated expectations with which it is generally associated. Technology and forms of life are mutually interdependent, and this implies examining the constructive possibilities for withdrawing from some technologies and adopting others, while ensuring that their role is limited to means designed to achieve certain predefined ends. The article draws on the work of Hans Jonas and Albert Borgmann, authors yet to be acknowledged by the degrowth literature. Jonas' principle of responsibility is a response to the excessive prowess of modern technologies, while Borgmann suggests a reform of technology through focal things and practices. Building on these concepts, methodological Luddism advocates reassessing and reorienting technologies so that informed decisions may be taken as to how they should be designed and developed as means to socially equitable and ecologically sustainable ends. In this way the technological sphere may become an important ally in the transformative change in society which is required to fulfil the axiological parameters of degrowth.

show abstract

Community renewable energy at a crossroads: A think piece on degrowth, technology, and the democratization of the German energy system

Cited by 85 publications

References 69 publications

Supporting Electrification Policy in Fragile States: A Conflict-Adjusted Geospatial Least Cost Approach for Afghanistan

Supporting Electrification Policy in Fragile States: A Conflict-Adjusted Geospatial Least Cost Approach for Afghanistan

Shifting Infrastructure Landscapes in a Circular Economy: An Institutional Work Analysis of the Water and Energy Sector

Methodological Luddism: A concept for tying degrowth to the assessment and regulation of technologies

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About