“In this report we show how current energy systems exclude users and explore the role of gender and social perspectives for equitable, effective energy transitions,” says Anna Åberg, phase one Task Leader of the EmPOWERing All Task. “Examining the systems and power structures affecting energy transitions, we identify interlinked key drivers of exclusion and provide recommendations for policy makers and technology developers on how to counter them, supported by examples of good practice from different geographical contexts.”
The report is based on work done in the Empowering All Task phase one, including new research from task researchers, good practice examples gathered during our research, and the aggregated knowledge of current state of the art research within the energy field.
The researchers found that, while energy transitions are leading to a decentralization of energy system resources, power structures remain highly centralized and supply-side focused, often leading to local resistance to change and the exclusion of end user groups. A more inclusive, user-centred and localised approach has been shown to be a success in isolated cases, however, large-scale statistical validation of these strategies remains difficult due to their context-specific nature. In order to foster interdisciplinary learning and localized solutions it is crucial to remain attentive to user realities and local contexts when designing new solutions, as well as use mixed methods and address funding disparities between social sciences and STEM fields, as well as between high- and low-income countries. Finally, ignoring social justice issues in policy making has been shown to lead to resistance, lower acceptance and backlash. Acknowledging inclusivity as a key consideration in energy transitions is essential for creating sustainable and widely accepted reforms.
The report is written by Anna Åberg, Helene Ahlborg, Julia Norman and Kavya Michael, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden.