ABSTRACT
Addressing the challenge of providing universal energy access alongside the imperative of reducing carbon emissions in cities requires rethinking current systems of energy production, distribution, and consumption. With ongoing cost reductions in small-scale off-grid renewable technologies, Community Energy Systems (CESs) have become plausible alternatives to large scale networked energy supply systems. CESs are thought to democratize energy access while accelerating low-carbon transitions because they support the decentralization of decision-making for energy provision, involving communities in the design and management of off-grid renewable energy systems (e.g., mini-grids, solar home systems, biogas converters, etc.). This chapter assesses the dilemmas involved in dealing with community diversity and power dynamics in CESs. Such dilemmas may be particularly relevant in the context of projects implemented in urban areas in the Global South, where the density of social relations may make them difficult to understand – particularly for development practitioners. In this chapter, we argue that an intersectional lens can support radical development practices and the development of models of community energy that put community diversity at their core.
