Grassroots innovation for energy transitionaddressing citizen transformative practices for a new energy model

Resumen

In light of the ecological challenges facing our societies, there is a general consensus in academic debate that the transformations required in our production and consumption systems must be systemic and holistic. This not only entails generating technological changes, but also changes in the social, cultural, political and economic dimensions of the systems. These changes will also involve constructing the socio-technical transition from scratch, with values and motivations that are radically different from those of the dominant models. On the energy sector, new debates posit that the move towards a 100% renewable model is inevitable, but it is not enough. The energy transition must, in addition, transform power relations and restructure property issues, the processes of the generation and ownershipof benefits, and the channels of energy access and distribution. From a critical perspective, the transition must aim towards radically different schemes of organising energy systems that should be articulated around more democratic, collective and de-commodified models. The study departs from the premise that existing social initiatives, driven "bottom-up" by organised groups of citizens, do in fact appear toalreadybe testing alternative models that present a transformative energy transition, based on radically different forms of organisation and management of the production, distribution and consumption of energy. On that basis, this study aims to examine, firstly, the characteristics of these initiatives, and secondly, the strategies that these practices are promoting to approach a transformative energy transition (or whether they could be used to approach such a transition). To address these issues, the study takes theoretical elements from a variety of academic debates: the normative debates about the desired change, provided by the human development approach; the literature on socio-technical transitions, which deals with how processes of systemic change are produced; the literature on grassroots social innovation, which addresses transformation processes arising from organised groups of citizens. In relation to the characteristics of these grassroots initiatives, the study discusses how they are mobilised in relation to valuessuch as justice, sustainability, diversity, equality and participation. It discusses how personal attributes such as political, personal, and emotional motivation are necessary in these initiatives. It analyses how these initiatives are consolidated as spaces for learning and change thanks to their horizontal functioning and democratic mentality, their support for voluntary work,and the generation of emotional connections and healthy relationships among the participants. In turn, the thesis examines how these initiatives generate transformations in people and groups, who develop various learnings, some more instrumental, others more transformative, of a technical, organisational or attitudinal nature. In relation to the strategies of the initiatives, the study studies different strategies to carry out transformative agendas. It also addresses the central role of critical discourse on key issues such as energy poverty, in order to generate awareness, reflection and mobilisation. Finally, it also examines the key role of the University and public policy to support these citizen's initiatives, from a perspective that places the welfare of people and core values such as those of justice and sustainability at the centre. In exploring these issues, the study does not attempt to provide definitive answers. On the contrary, it seeks to propose conceptualisations and ideas, generate reflections, and identify tensions and possibilities. The objective is to provide elements that are useful for academic debate and practical action in the current context of social and environmental deterioration, which is nevertheless also a time of rapid changes, intense mobilisation, and the creation and testing of alternatives.