Community Energy and Climate Justice

Community energy broadly describes a sustainable energy activity (or activities) that includes some degree of community involvement. It is often touted as a route to a more just energy transition, providing citizens with access to decentralised energy supply and energy saving schemes. However, uptake of community energy is slow and policy making is hampered by the breadth of ways that ‘community energy’ is defined and framed. Having evolved from grassroots schemes initiated, funded, implemented and managed by people physically connected to a locality, to a more commercial offering, the type and extent of community involvement is variable. In this paper, I draw on research conducted in South Yorkshire, UK, an area historically dominated by coal mining and heavy industry, which has arguably been subject to an unjust transition as these industries have declined. The region is simultaneously home to the UKs largest community energy project - Energise Barnsley, a solar PV scheme mounted on social housing - as well as one of the fewest number of community energy projects in the UK (compared to other regions). Exploring how community energy in South Yorkshire is initiated and operated I critically analyse the meaning of community energy through the lens of climate justice. Considering the potential for community energy to address issues of climate justice, as well as its limitations, I evaluate the extent community energy projects in the region are just, in terms of who is involved, makes decisions and has influence (procedural justice); who is respected and valued (just recognition); how the goods (resources, benefits) and bads (harm and risks), and the capacity to redress negative impacts restorative justice. This study includes projects initiated by environmentally conscious citizens, those concerned or affected by fuel poverty, and investors. The roles of state actors and associated policy making in the success of community energy projects are explored, including what impact financial incentives (designed to increase the uptake of renewable energy) have on just community energy.