Scales of Energy Justice: Solar power and energy poverty alleviation

The threats climate change poses require rapid and wide decarbonization efforts in the energy sector. Historically, traditional, large-scale energy operations have frequently led to energy-related injustices. Energy poverty is one such injustice that has gained attention as an important issue to address within low-carbon energy transitions. Energy poverty (the condition of being unable to access an adequate level of household energy services) persists despite the existence of renewable energy technologies, such as solar photovoltaics (PV), which offer cheap, clean, and highly scalable energy. Historical injustices and the modularity of solar PV offers new possibilities in ownership, production and distribution of energy and calls into question the traditional scalar approach to energy operations. This thesis reports on a case study of solar power in Lisbon, Portugal. It investigates the potential of solar PV to alleviate energy poverty and the role of scale in energy justice in relation to renewable energy transformations. The case consists of eight weeks of field work which generated insights on community and expert perspectives. Methods used in the field are non-attribution, semi-structured interviews, and field observations. Secondary research methods included deskwork and document analysis. Interviews were analyzed using the qualitative data analysis program NVivo and through comparison to relevant grey and academic literature. I used an energy justice framework to identify and discuss justice aspects of solar PV uptake at different scales. Results indicate that energy justice is shaped in diverse ways at different scales, and that scale matters for energy justice. The Lisbon case illustrates how small- and medium-scale approaches to energy distribution can address energy justice concerns. The study finds that such approaches are gaining attention and legitimacy, but do not yet include all socio-economic groups. It moreover shows how large-scale approaches to energy are potentially well-equipped to make renewable technologies, such as solar PV, widely accessible.Master's Thesis in GeographyGEO350MASV-PHYGMASV-MEHAMASV-GEOGMPGEOG

Faster, broader, and deeper! Suggested directions for research on net-zero transitions

The growing attention to the political goal of achieving net-zero emissions by mid-century reflects past failures to alter the trajectory of increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As a consequence, the world now needs to decarbonize all systems and sectors at an unprecedented pace. This commentary discusses how the net-zero challenge presents transition scholarship with four enhanced research challenges that merit more attention: (1) the speed, (2) breadth and (3) depth of transitions as well as (4) tensions and interactions between these.Faster, broader, and deeper! Suggested directions for research on net-zero transitionspublishedVersio

Sustainable development goal interactions for a just transition: multi-scalar solar energy rollout in Portugal

Solar energy rollout has environmental and socio-economic impacts vital for just low-carbon energy transitions. The modular characteristics of solar photovoltaics enable multi-scalar deployment. How do environmental and socio-economic impacts vary across scales? This understudied relationship impacts the socio-spatiality of solar rollout, who benefits, and how this is enabled. Our study in Portugal during 2017–2020 examines how solar energy went from subsidies to record-setting competitiveness. Most new solar capacity was large scale, with barriers for community energy that weakened in 2020. We draw on interviews with 80 experts and a small-scale questionnaire survey with solar energy cooperative members. Findings show large-scale solar rollout primarily yielded environmental benefits, whereas small scale yielded socio-economic benefits. We argue that near-future joined-up solar energy policies can facilitate synergistic interactions across three United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by integrating environmental and socio-economic impacts. This main contribution can inform Portuguese and wider energy policies for sectoral development toward sustainability.publishedVersio

Scales of Energy Justice: Solar power and energy poverty alleviation

The threats climate change poses require rapid and wide decarbonization efforts in the energy sector. Historically, traditional, large-scale energy operations have frequently led to energy-related injustices. Energy poverty is one such injustice that has gained attention as an important issue to address within low-carbon energy transitions. Energy poverty (the condition of being unable to access an adequate level of household energy services) persists despite the existence of renewable energy technologies, such as solar photovoltaics (PV), which offer cheap, clean, and highly scalable energy. Historical injustices and the modularity of solar PV offers new possibilities in ownership, production and distribution of energy and calls into question the traditional scalar approach to energy operations. This thesis reports on a case study of solar power in Lisbon, Portugal. It investigates the potential of solar PV to alleviate energy poverty and the role of scale in energy justice in relation to renewable energy transformations. The case consists of eight weeks of field work which generated insights on community and expert perspectives. Methods used in the field are non-attribution, semi-structured interviews, and field observations. Secondary research methods included deskwork and document analysis. Interviews were analyzed using the qualitative data analysis program NVivo and through comparison to relevant grey and academic literature. I used an energy justice framework to identify and discuss justice aspects of solar PV uptake at different scales. Results indicate that energy justice is shaped in diverse ways at different scales, and that scale matters for energy justice. The Lisbon case illustrates how small- and medium-scale approaches to energy distribution can address energy justice concerns. The study finds that such approaches are gaining attention and legitimacy, but do not yet include all socio-economic groups. It moreover shows how large-scale approaches to energy are potentially well-equipped to make renewable technologies, such as solar PV, widely accessible

Sustainable development goal interactions for a just transition: multi-scalar solar energy rollout in Portugal

Solar energy rollout has environmental and socio-economic impacts vital for just low-carbon energy transitions. The modular characteristics of solar photovoltaics enable multi-scalar deployment. How do environmental and socio-economic impacts vary across scales? This understudied relationship impacts the socio-spatiality of solar rollout, who benefits, and how this is enabled. Our study in Portugal during 2017–2020 examines how solar energy went from subsidies to record-setting competitiveness. Most new solar capacity was large scale, with barriers for community energy that weakened in 2020. We draw on interviews with 80 experts and a small-scale questionnaire survey with solar energy cooperative members. Findings show large-scale solar rollout primarily yielded environmental benefits, whereas small scale yielded socio-economic benefits. We argue that near-future joined-up solar energy policies can facilitate synergistic interactions across three United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by integrating environmental and socio-economic impacts. This main contribution can inform Portuguese and wider energy policies for sectoral development toward sustainability

Scalar Containment of Energy Justice and Its Democratic Discontents: Solar Power and Energy Poverty Alleviation

The threats climate change poses require rapid and wide decarbonization efforts in the energy sector. Historically, large-scale energy operations, often instrumental for a scaled and effective approach to meet decarbonization goals, undergird energy-related injustices. Energy poverty is a multi-dimensional form of injustice, with relevance to low-carbon energy transitions. Defined as the condition of being unable to access an adequate level of household energy services, energy poverty persists despite the emergence of affordable renewable energy technologies, such as solar photovoltaics (PV). Historical injustices and the modularity of solar PV combine to offer new possibilities in ownership, production and distribution of cost-competitive, clean and collectively scalable energy. Consequently, emerging policy priorities for positive energy districts call into question the traditional large-scale modality of energy operations. We report from a case study of solar power in Lisbon, a frontrunner in urban energy transitions while also home to high energy poverty incidence. The study focuses on scalar aspects of justice in energy transitions to investigate whether and how solar PV can alleviate urban energy poverty. It features 2 months of fieldwork centered on community and expert perspectives, including semi-structured interviews and field observations. We mobilize a spatial energy justice framework to identify justice aspects of multi-scalar solar PV uptake. By showing how energy justice is shaped in diverse ways at different scales, we demonstrate ways in which scale matters for just urban energy transitions. We argue that small- and medium-scaled approaches to electricity distribution, an integral component of positive energy districts, can address specific justice concerns. However, even as such approaches gain attention and legitimacy, they risk structurally excluding socio-economically vulnerable users, and proceed slowly relative to large-scale solar rollout

Scales of energy justice: Solar power and energy poverty alleviation

The threats climate change poses require rapid and wide decarbonization efforts in the energy sector. Historically, large-scale energy operations, often instrumental for a scaled and effective approach to meet decarbonization goals, undergird energy-related injustices. Energy poverty is a multi-dimensional form of injustice, with relevance to low-carbon energy transitions. Defined as the condition of being unable to access an adequate level of household energy services, energy poverty persists despite the emergence of affordable renewable energy technologies, such as solar photovoltaics (PV). Historical injustices and the modularity of solar PV combine to offer new possibilities in ownership, production and distribution of cost-competitive, clean and collectively scalable energy. Consequently, emerging policy priorities for positive energy districts call into question the traditional large-scale modality of energy operations. We report from a case study of solar power in Lisbon, a frontrunner in urban energy transitions while also home to high energy poverty incidence. The study focuses on scalar aspects of justice in energy transitions to investigate whether and how solar PV can alleviate urban energy poverty. It features 2 months of fieldwork centered on community and expert perspectives, including semi-structured interviews and field observations. We mobilize a spatial energy justice framework to identify justice aspects of multi-scalar solar PV uptake. By showing how energy justice is shaped in diverse ways at different scales, we demonstrate ways in which scale matters for just urban energy transitions. We argue that small- and medium-scaled approaches to electricity distribution, an integral component of positive energy districts, can address specific justice concerns. However, even as such approaches gain attention and legitimacy, they risk structurally excluding socio-economically vulnerable users, and proceed slowly relative to large-scale solar rollout.publishedVersio

Increasing the speed, scope, and level of decarbonization for meeting the Net-zero 2050 challenge. Implications for sustainability transitions research

This viewpoint identifies three interrelated transition imperatives to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 – increasing the speed, scope and level of decarbonization. First, the urgency of climate action places temporality and radically accelerated sociotechnical change at the heart of the net zero 2050 challenge. Second, the net-zero challenge implies a broadening of decarbonization efforts from the usual focus on electricity and transport to all sectors of the economy and a need for thinking across multiple sectors. Third, increasing levels of decarbonization necessitates widespread and rapid diffusion of low-carbon solutions with limited time for experimentation and deliberation. Interactions between these imperatives create research challenges related to time frame tensions, tipping points, sector couplings, multi-sector technologies and massive upscaling.ISBN: 978-82-93863-12-0publishedVersio

Increasing the speed, scope, and level of decarbonization for meeting the Net-zero 2050 challenge. Implications for sustainability transitions research

This viewpoint identifies three interrelated transition imperatives to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 – increasing the speed, scope and level of decarbonization. First, the urgency of climate action places temporality and radically accelerated sociotechnical change at the heart of the netzero 2050 challenge. Second, the net-zero challenge implies a broadening of decarbonization efforts from the usual focus on electricity and transport to all sectors of the economy and a need for thinking across multiple sectors. Third, increasing levels of decarbonization necessitates widespread and rapid diffusion of low-carbon solutions with limited time for experimentation and deliberation. Interactions between these imperatives create research challenges related to time frame tensions, tipping points, sector couplings, multi-sector technologies and massive upscaling