The Role of Renewable Energy Prosumers in Implementing Energy Justice Theory

Abstract

In recent years, the use of photovoltaic-based distributed electricity generation has played a key role in achieving climate and energy policy goals. The energy market is changing rapidly from centralized generation towards unbundling generation, transmission, distribution, and supply activities. As energy consumers also become producers, a new energy market player—the prosumer—is emerging. The role of the prosumer as a market player can be analyzed in terms of implemented technological solutions, economic assessment, environmental impact, and legal regulation requirements. The aim of this article is to investigate the importance and compatibility of energy prosumers with energy justice theory in the context of European Union (EU) law. The authors concluded first that an energy prosumer will help to meet energy justice goals only if government ensures support for generation facilities for low-income consumers, as only then can intrageneration equity be achieved. Second, seeking to ensure equality among places with different energy sources, the government should promote the development of generation facilities using different renewable energy sources. Third, the short-term electricity market, which may allow energy prosumers to participate, should be developed.

Legal status of a renewables self-consumer under Polish law in light of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources

“…Ochronę prosumenta energii odnawialnej w ramach przepisów konsumenckich trzeba uznać za element wspierający jego funkcjonowanie 52 . Artykuł 4 ust.…”

Definition of the Future Skills Needs of Job Profiles in the Renewable Energy Sector

“…Prosumers, defined as consumers that either produce energy from renewable energy sources to cover their power needs or generate surplus energy to transfer to the grid, are emerging agents on the energy market [20][21][22]. Energy storage applications such as Powerto-X will gain importance as enablers of renewable energy integration while decoupling energy generation from demand [8].…”

Legal Provisions and Market Conditions for Energy Communities in Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Turkey: A Comparative Assessment

“…A number of studies in the literature have emphasized the positive impacts of decentralization of the energy markets and the establishment of energy communities on the transition of the energy markets and provision of energy justice [26,31,[45][46][47]. Community-based collective energy initiatives have been regarded as fundamental actors in the transition of the energy market towards a low carbon economy [21,26,31,36,48]. The financial power of the community, however, may be at risk when competing with big, conservative market players.…”

“…Renewable self-consumers located in the same building or multiapartment block are able to act jointly [48]. This is considered a type of self-consumer rather than a community by the Directive.…”