@unpublished{theses_frw3942,
            year = {2022},
           title = {Democratising the energy transition: A case study into the transformative power of Energy Communities in the United Kingdom.},
          author = {Charlie Walker Clarke},
             url = {https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/3942/},
        abstract = {Energy Democracy (ED), is an emerging concept that describes a divergence away from traditional, centralised energy systems, that promotes the ownership and participation of energy systems be brought closer to the individual. With democratic ideals at their core, community energy initiatives aim to empower communities by enabling local ownership of energy projects. This research investigated the role that community energy organisations have in the UK. Firstly, by looking at the associated benefits that will be stimulated by democratising energy systems through the governance structures of the community organisations. On top of this, the Multi-level Perspective derived from transition theory is a crucial element in this research to understand how the emerging social innovations of community energy can become a key actor in the UK?s energy transition. Findings from a mixed-qualitative approach show how community energy in the UK can provide for a more decentralised form of how communities interact with energy systems. Additionally, the community sector presents itself as resilient with the ability to further develop itself as a mainstream actor. However, this is impeded by the lack of support and ambition from the national government, where more emphasis has been placed on larger-scale actors to undertake renewable energy targets. In order for the community energy sector to grow, the national government must take a more supportive stance.}
}