Abstract
Unlike in some Northern European countries, renewable energy cooperatives in Portugal, Spain, and Italy are few and represent a very small share of the energy market. This article aims to understand the social, political, economic, and cultural factors that affect the development of renewable energy cooperatives in Southern Europe, as well as the opportunities and advantages that cooperatives offer compared to other energy providers in the energy transition. It is based on a comparative analysis of four cooperative case studies in Portugal, Spain, and Italy, drawing on document analysis, observation, and interviews with cooperative representatives, complemented by legal, political, and statistical data for contextualization. We find that energy policies have favored large utilities and concentrated energy generation, while the lack of a civic culture of participation and distrust toward cooperatives have also hindered their development. Furthermore, we show how cooperatives possess unique characteristics that make them valuable actors in energy systems: the promotion of environmental and social values, local embeddedness, flexibility to diversify activities, the capacity to mobilize networks of similar organizations, and the promotion of democratic governance and participation.
Cita
Delicado, A., Pallarés Blanch, M., García Marín, R., Valle, C.d. y Prados Velasco, M.J. (2023). “David against Goliath? Challenges and opportunities for energy cooperatives in Southern Europe”. Energy Research & Social Science, 103, 103220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2023.103220.
