Viability of Self-Governance in Community Energy Systems

Abstract

This paper sets out to formulate a structured approach to assist in analyzing the viability of self-governance in community energy systems. Existing research in self-governance in the framework of socio-ecological systems provides a basis for analysis in applications concerning socio-technical systems, but more than a basis is needed. Although the socio-ecological system framework can easily be `translated` to the socio-technical system, operationalizing the ecological variables in the technical context is troublesome. Therefore, a new theoretical approach is proposed employing two dimensions of variables: social and technical complexity. In laying out multiple different configurations of energy systems along these dimensions, a hypothesis is given, proposing an increasing need for polycentric governance corresponding to increasing social and technical exigency. Exploring possible system configurations along these dimensions leads to an important nuance. The viability of self-governance in community energy systems may lie in the communities’ abilities to be adaptive to coordinate with different governance circles; self-governance can take many different forms. A method of classification of different types of self-governance, based on the degrees of social and technical complexity, is therefore conceived. Local biogas networks are considered to be one possibility where self-governance might be a feasible and desirable governance structure. We therefore refer periodically to a biogas arrangement to illustrate the proposed approach.