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Tracking the transition to renewable electricity in remote indigenous communities in Canada

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  • Karanasios, Konstantinos
  • Parker, Paul

Abstract

Diesel generated electricity in 144 Canadian remote indigenous communities is responsible for carbon emissions, spills, leakages, poor quality services, and potentially restricts community development. Introducing renewable electricity technologies (RETs) into community electrical systems could address both environmental and socioeconomic development issues. This paper identifies 71 RET projects developed in remote communities between 1980 and 2016 and uses the multi-level perspective (MLP) to examine the diffusion and governance processes influencing the transformation of these systems. The MLP framework explains the non-linear deployment of RETs through the shift from a utility driven phase focusing on hydroelectricity and small wind applications to a community driven phase concentrating on solar projects. Reasons for the development of projects in Yukon, Northwest Territories, British Columbia and Ontario include community interest in participating in local electricity generation, learning processes facilitated by multiple experiments, and the existence of supporting regulatory and fiscal policies that were negotiated and adapted to indigenous sustainability visions. The MLP framework indicates that remote indigenous communities now reject the role of passive recipients of technologies promoted by non-aboriginal interests. Instead, active participation in transforming electrical systems is sought, based on local sustainability agendas which further their goals of economic development and self-governance.

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  • Karanasios, Konstantinos & Parker, Paul, 2018. "Tracking the transition to renewable electricity in remote indigenous communities in Canada," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 169-181.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:118:y:2018:i:c:p:169-181
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2018.03.032
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    Cited by:

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    2. Li, Tailu & Qin, Haosen & Wang, Jianqiang & Gao, Xiang & Meng, Nan & Jia, Yanan & Liu, Qinghua, 2021. "Energetic and exergetic performance of a novel polygeneration energy system driven by geothermal energy and solar energy for power, hydrogen and domestic hot water," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 318-336.
    3. McMaster, R. & Noble, B. & Poelzer, G., 2024. "Assessing local capacity for community appropriate sustainable energy transitions in northern and remote Indigenous communities," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    4. Coady, Joe & Duquette, Jean, 2021. "Quantifying the impacts of biomass driven combined heat and power grids in northern rural and remote communities," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    5. Obiora S. Agu & Lope G. Tabil & Edmund Mupondwa, 2023. "Actualization and Adoption of Renewable Energy Usage in Remote Communities in Canada by 2050: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-24, April.
    6. Mattia Ferrari, 2020. "Reflexive Governance for Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-8, December.
    7. Thierry Rodon & Louise Nachet & Christophe Krolik & Tommy Palliser, 2021. "Building Energy Sovereignty through Community-Based Projects in Nunavik," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-13, August.
    8. Richardson, Riley Lindsay & Buckham, Bradley & McWhinnie, Lauren Helen, 2022. "Mapping a blue energy future for British Columbia: Creating a holistic framework for tidal stream energy development in remote coastal communities," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    9. Amina El Mekaoui & Rasikh Tariq & Othón Baños Ramírez & P.E. Méndez-Monroy, 2020. "Sustainability, Sociocultural Challenges, and New Power of Capitalism for Renewable Energy Megaprojects in an Indigenous Mayan Community of Mexico," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-23, September.
    10. Zapata, Oscar, 2022. "Renewable Energy and Community Development," OSF Preprints tk59y, Center for Open Science.
    11. Zapata, Oscar, 2024. "Renewable energy and well-being in remote Indigenous communities of Canada: A panel analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 222(C).
    12. Stringer, Thomas & Joanis, Marcelin, 2023. "Decarbonizing Canada's remote microgrids," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    13. Konstantinos Karanasios & Paul Parker, 2018. "Explaining the Diffusion of Renewable Electricity Technologies in Canadian Remote Indigenous Communities through the Technological Innovation System Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-28, October.
    14. Vikas Menghwani & Rory Wheat & Bobbie Balicki & Greg Poelzer & Bram Noble & Nicolas Mansuy, 2023. "Bioenergy for Community Energy Security in Canada: Challenges in the Business Ecosystem," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-15, February.
    15. Froese, Sarah & Kunz, Nadja C. & Ramana, M.V., 2020. "Too small to be viable? The potential market for small modular reactors in mining and remote communities in Canada," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).

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