Creating a Sustainable Energy System: a Citizen-Driven Transformation

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Let us imagine a group of highly motivated and dedicated citizens with diverse expertise and knowledge coming together as a cooperative to flag their concerns about unsustainable practices in a metropolitan energy system. Can such a citizen-led cooperative even challenge the neoliberal growth paradigm in the energy market?

It seems that the present energy market has various social and ecological disadvantages that are not well tackled by the profit-oriented monopolized private energy market. This leads to the engagement of citizens which are increasingly aware of political landscapes, their needs and capabilities. Can they aspire to govern local energy systems themselves, in ways that are inclusive, accessible and sustainable in the long run?.

Such citizen-led cooperatives can extend and strengthen by acquiring financial and in-kind support from businesses, research institutes, NGOs, students and media. Cooperatives may also profit from inviting experts with experience in establishing similar interventions for guidance throughout the process especially at the early stages.

Supportive EU directives such as the EU Renewable Energy Directive, national policies and constitutional rights (for example right to hold plebiscites, right to assembly and right to form cooperatives) can provide an enabling environment for such interventions.

Governing energy systems as a cooperative could allow for wide participation among the membership. However, to ensure accountability, a supervisory board consisting of founders and highly engaged individuals could develop strategic plans and take actions. Yet, the intervention may confront various challenges especially related to financial arrangements, political culture and regulatory procedures. Financial challenges could be tackled partly with shareholder/membership fees and partly by attracting donors and sponsors. Political and general public’s opinion can be influenced by running awareness campaigns, engaging with the media and reaching out to individuals. Introducing a citizen driven management partner, thus overcoming the dichotomy of public vs. private management, could be highly challenging. However, carefully aligning various stakeholders and securing wide public support can allow them to realize even very ambitious goals.

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This intervention fits under the approaches:

It addresses some drivers of injustice: