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Making the most of community energies: Three perspectives on grassroots innovation

Author

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  • Adrian Smith
  • Tom Hargreaves
  • Sabine Hielscher
  • Mari Martiskainen
  • Gill Seyfang

Abstract

Grassroots innovations for sustainability are attracting increasing policy attention. Drawing upon a wide range of empirical research into community energy in the UK, and taking recent support from national government as a case study, we apply three distinct analytical perspectives: strategic niche management, niche policy advocacy, and critical niches. Whilst the first and second perspectives appear to explain policy influence in grassroots innovation adequately, each also shuts out more transformational possibilities. We therefore argue that, if grassroots innovation is to realise its full potential, then we need to also pursue a third, critical niches perspective, and open up debate about more socially transformative pathways to sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Adrian Smith & Tom Hargreaves & Sabine Hielscher & Mari Martiskainen & Gill Seyfang, 2016. "Making the most of community energies: Three perspectives on grassroots innovation," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 48(2), pages 407-432, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:48:y:2016:i:2:p:407-432
    DOI: 10.1177/0308518X15597908
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Kivimaa, Paula & Boon, Wouter & Hyysalo, Sampsa & Klerkx, Laurens, 2019. "Towards a typology of intermediaries in sustainability transitions: A systematic review and a research agenda," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(4), pages 1062-1075.
    3. Hyysalo, Sampsa & Juntunen, Jouni K. & Martiskainen, Mari, 2018. "Energy Internet forums as acceleration phase transition intermediaries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(5), pages 872-885.
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    5. Becker, Sören & Blanchet, Thomas & Kunze, Conrad, 2016. "Social movements and urban energy policy: Assessing contexts, agency and outcomes of remunicipalisation processes in Hamburg and Berlin," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 228-236.
    6. Rositsa T. Ilieva & Andreas Hernandez, 2018. "Scaling-Up Sustainable Development Initiatives: A Comparative Case Study of Agri-Food System Innovations in Brazil, New York, and Senegal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-17, November.
    7. Jay Sterling Gregg & Sophie Nyborg & Meiken Hansen & Valeria Jana Schwanitz & August Wierling & Jan Pedro Zeiss & Sarah Delvaux & Victor Saenz & Lucia Polo-Alvarez & Chiara Candelise & Winston Gilcrea, 2020. "Collective Action and Social Innovation in the Energy Sector: A Mobilization Model Perspective," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-24, February.
    8. Hicks, Jarra & Ison, Nicola, 2018. "An exploration of the boundaries of ‘community’ in community renewable energy projects: Navigating between motivations and context," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 523-534.
    9. Dick Magnusson & Jenny Palm, 2019. "Come Together—The Development of Swedish Energy Communities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-19, February.
    10. Lehtonen, Markku & de Carlo, Laurence, 2019. "Community energy and the virtues of mistrust and distrust: Lessons from Brighton and Hove energy cooperatives," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1-1.
    11. Eva Heiskanen & Kaarina Hyvönen & Senja Laakso & Päivi Laitila & Kaisa Matschoss & Irmeli Mikkonen, 2017. "Adoption and Use of Low-Carbon Technologies: Lessons from 100 Finnish Pilot Studies, Field Experiments and Demonstrations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-20, May.
    12. Pohlmann, Angela, 2019. "Dismantling the relationship between energy innovations and power," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    13. Goulden, Murray & Spence, Alexa & Wardman, Jamie & Leygue, Caroline, 2018. "Differentiating ‘the user’ in DSR: Developing demand side response in advanced economies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 176-185.
    14. Roby, Helen & Dibb, Sally, 2019. "Future pathways to mainstreaming community energy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    15. Mari Martiskainen, 2016. "The role of community leadership in the development of grassroots innovations," SPRU Working Paper Series 2016-10, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.
    16. Ashford, Nicholas A. & Hall, Ralph P., 2018. "Achieving Global Climate and Environmental Goals by Governmental Regulatory Targeting," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 246-259.
    17. Julie L. MacArthur, 2017. "Trade, Tarsands and Treaties: The Political Economy Context of Community Energy in Canada," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-20, March.

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