Earth Science & Climate Change

Biography

Biography: Shane Fudge

Abstract

Whilst the idea of community energy and local forms of decision making has gained increasing traction in both policy and academic circles as a driver for low carbon transitions, there remains significant ambiguity in relation to both how we might conceptualise ideas such as ‘community’ and ‘localism’, and subsequently how we might understand these concepts in terms of their normative influence on social, political and economic change. Community and local governance of energy has emerged in different ways within different national contexts where this diversity ranges from the spectacular increase in decentralized, locally driven wind energy in Denmark, to the less influential and more low-key approach in the UK . The paper will draw from a current international research project which has brought together researchers, institutes, and programmes that are currently engaged in research on local and community energy projects. The paper will utilize this research in order to explore both the ideas and the practical applications of locally led energy transitions through an international and interdisciplinary understanding of different theoretical, disciplinary and methodological approaches. The paper will engage with comparative knowledge and expertise on country-specific responses to energy and environmental issues which have emerged specifically from the local or community level. This approach will promote: an understanding of country-specific approaches to energy policy; an exploration of how different national approaches 'accommodate' community based projects; an understanding of issues around the role of public engagement and acceptability; and an exploration of the challenges and opportunities presented by different ownership and operational models.