Distributed energy technologies, decentralizing systems and the future of African cities

IF 2 2区经济学 Q3 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Environment and Urbanization Pub Date : 2024-03-11 DOI:10.1177/09562478241226782

Lauren Hermanus, Liza Rose CiroliA

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Within global debates, decentralization with respect to renewable electricity is positioned as pivotal in overlapping calls for decarbonization, energy access and just transitions. The promise is that technologies that are smaller and distributed will deliver a range of benefits, including enabling infrastructural innovations and expanding sustainable access, notably by empowering local authorities. While shifting to low-carbon systems is imperative, in this paper we call for attention to the complexity, opportunities and risks of commonly celebrated experiments in distributed electricity technologies when applied to African contexts. We draw on the case of Uganda, unpacking a series of four innovative electricity projects currently under way. For each case, we look at the actors involved and the imagined relationship between the projects and the incumbent grid. From these cases, we argue that, in this African context characterized by contested urban governance and fragmented networks, careful attention to supporting urban scale institutional and infrastructural development is necessary, although in many cases bypassed.

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分布式能源技术、分散系统和非洲城市的未来

在全球辩论中，有关可再生能源电力的分散化被定位为去碳化、能源获取和公正过渡的重叠呼吁中的关键。小型分布式技术有望带来一系列好处，包括促进基础设施创新和扩大可持续获取，特别是通过增强地方当局的能力。虽然向低碳系统转型势在必行，但在本文中，我们呼吁人们关注分布式电力技术在非洲环境中应用时的复杂性、机遇和风险。我们以乌干达为例，分析了目前正在进行的四个创新电力项目。在每个案例中，我们都考察了参与项目的各方以及项目与现有电网之间的想象关系。从这些案例中，我们认为，在非洲这个以有争议的城市治理和支离破碎的网络为特点的环境中，有必要认真关注支持城市规模的机构和基础设施发展，尽管在很多情况下都被绕开了。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Environment and Urbanization Multiple-

CiteScore

7.50

自引率

2.70%

发文量

期刊介绍： Environment and Urbanization aims to provide an effective means for the exchange of research findings, ideas and information in the fields of human settlements and environment among researchers, activists and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in low- and middle-income nations and between these and researchers, international agency staff, students and teachers in high-income nations. Most of the papers it publishes are written by authors from Africa, Asia and Latin America. Papers may be submitted in French, Spanish or Portuguese, as well as English - and if accepted for publication, the journal arranges for their translation into English. The journal is also unusual in the proportion of its papers that are written by practitioners.