Energy, Sustainability and Society最新文献

{"title":"Games and gamers: the influence of participating players on the process and outcome of regional spatial energy games","authors":"Hartmut Dumke,&nbsp;Pia Nabielek","doi":"10.1186/s13705-024-00501-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13705-024-00501-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>One major question of climate and energy policy is how to act under conditions of great uncertainty. This contribution relates to the literature that studies how various actors draft regional energy scenarios and pathways in so-called serious games. Serious gaming aims to foster contextual knowledge generation about complex problems and spatial solutions associated with sustainability transitions.</p><p>Little attention has thus far been paid to the question of how to design a serious game that enables desired game results through different player constellations. Shortcomings in the literature regarding the inclusion of relevant players and secure game experience through player interaction are covered by stakeholder theory. Our approach assigns different attributes to individual players which secures that the game is played from various perspectives and by actual stakeholders.</p><h3>Results and conclusions</h3><p>Our empirical study shows the impact of players with different stakeholder attributes on two game results: the first game result is a spatial energy scenario (output) and the second result is the collective and place-based learning experience during the game (outcome). The paper closes with three concluding recommendations:</p><ul>\u0000 <li>\u0000 <p>It is important to pay attention to player’s attributes as well as to constellations of players since they influence game experience (outcome) and achieved scenario (output).</p>\u0000 </li>\u0000 <li>\u0000 <p>Player’s attributes and constellations can partly explain differences in game results, but more empirical work on the influence of players and games on the results is necessary. In the future, more attention should be paid to the interaction, discussions and dynamics within the player teams.</p>\u0000 </li>\u0000 <li>\u0000 <p>The optimization of player teams needs to be strongly considered in game design. Also, we note that if the game is played in a regional context, the spatial orientation (the region) could be taken into greater account when applying stakeholder theory.</p>\u0000 </li>\u0000 </ul></div>","PeriodicalId":539,"journal":{"name":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13705-024-00501-z","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142994686","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Renewable energy consumption, institutional quality and life expectancy in EU countries: a cointegration analysis","authors":"Anca-Florentina Vatamanu,&nbsp;Mihaela Onofrei,&nbsp;Elena Cigu,&nbsp;Florin Oprea","doi":"10.1186/s13705-024-00507-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13705-024-00507-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Although some socioeconomic, environmental, and political factors could impact life expectancy, the economic literature loses sight of the relationship between the widespread adoption of renewable energy technologies and their potential effect on global life expectancy. An insightful analysis of the socio-economic and environmental benefits associated with renewable sources forms the foundation for investigating the broader implications for public health and well-being. Using panel data from 27 European countries over the period 2000–2020, this study examines the effects of renewable energy consumption on human life expectancy as well as how institutional quality and investment in renewable energy projects might promote better health outcomes.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>The methodological approach is carefully selected to address salient estimation issues and includes a qualitative sequential methodology involving empiric analysis that provides coherence and viability for our study, but also quantitative methods, including factor analysis, panel fully modified least squares (FMOLS), unit root tests, and cointegration techniques.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>We find that renewable energy consumption and institutional quality can improve life expectancy in EU countries. Furthermore, the empirical evidence indicates that sustaining longevity as a new government strategy requires strong institutional quality, capable of influencing the status of renewable energy and promoting long-term sustainability.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Our findings bear essential policy implications regarding sustaining longevity as new government strategies and exploring the scale of the target to increase healthy life expectancy. The entire EU health policy and the government's recommitment to narrowing the gap in healthy life expectancy should be focused on improving institutional quality and reducing carbon emissions through promoting projects capable of increasing renewable energy consumption. The results suggest that, on average, a 1% change in renewable energy consumption leads to a 0.331 change in life expectancy, and a 1% change in institutional quality leads to a 0.316 change in life expectancy.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":539,"journal":{"name":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13705-024-00507-7","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142976538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Operationalising user behaviour: a study on the life cycle assessment of smart home technologies","authors":"Mareike Tippe,&nbsp;Henning Wigger,&nbsp;Urte Brand-Daniels,&nbsp;Thomas Vogt","doi":"10.1186/s13705-024-00506-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13705-024-00506-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Smart home technologies (SHT) make it easier than ever to track energy demands and are expected to contribute to the implementation of sustainability strategies. In particular, they are supposed to enable promising demand side management strategies by altering user behaviour towards sustainability while ensuring the balance of energy supply and demand.</p><p>For determining environmental impacts of products and technologies, the methodology of life cycle assessment (LCA) is an established tool. While large parts of LCAs are standardised, the consideration of user behaviour related effects has not been specified. By adopting an interdisciplinary perspective, this literature study contributes to the future development of a standardized methodology for the operationalisation of behaviour in LCAs.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Three main strategies for operationalising behaviour in LCA studies were identified: (1) behaviour theory-based approaches, (2) model-based behaviour predictions and (literature-based) deductions, and (3) averages and assumptions. The results of this literature study show that the selection of the strategy is crucial as the user behaviour and methods used for LCAs have a significant impact on the environmental and economic payback periods and calculated overall impact of SHTs. Findings from the social sciences on practices and household activities that can be influenced by SHTs, are not systematically applied.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Our literature analysis makes it clear that LCA results depend on various factors. Selected operationalisation and methodological approaches, respectively, can play a key role. Depending on the method chosen the results can vary by several orders of magnitude and are not always comparable. Simplified approaches for integrating user behaviour into LCAs like assumptions and average values can be a first step in accounting for the relevance of behaviour. However, it is important to bear in mind that these approaches may not reflect actual user behaviour, as this can be subjected to a limited changeability of certain household practices and habits. On the basis of the results, the authors recommend greater interdisciplinary co-operation in the conduction of LCAs on SHTs, ranging from a common definition of the scope, to the implementation of socio-scientific research and survey methods, to the derivation of policies.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":539,"journal":{"name":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13705-024-00506-8","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142939125","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shifting discussions to the supranational level: a narrative discourse analysis on nuclear energy sustainability and the EU Taxonomy","authors":"Carsten Elsner","doi":"10.1186/s13705-024-00500-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13705-024-00500-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>While discussions on nuclear energy mostly took place at the national level and the respective media arenas in the past, the questions of regulating sustainability and financing have now moved up to the supranational EU level. In this light, this article analyses the discussions and processes around the inclusion of nuclear energy into the EU Taxonomy, which aims at guiding financial means towards sustainable economic activities.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The research question as to why nuclear energy has become sustainable is examined by applying a narrative discourse analysis. To account for the identified challenges for media-based discourse analysis regarding nuclear energy, an analysis was conducted alongside key events relying on media articles and expert interviews, following the institutional structure of the implementation process. The article contributes to the limited body of literature on sustainability regulation, particularly from a social science perspective. By delving into the specific dimensions of the regulatory process on nuclear energy, it provides a nuanced understanding that enriches existing academic discourse in this emerging field.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>In the article, it is argued that four factors contributed mainly to the decision to label nuclear energy sustainable: the delegated act, combined with the decision to connect nuclear energy and gas (1), the publication of the report by the Joint Research Centre (2), the implicit compromise between Germany (gas) and France (nuclear energy) (3) and finally, the Russian war against Ukraine (4). Although narrative discourse analysis still offers valuable insights into ongoing policy processes at the EU level, the different implementation process in the EU by means of the delegated act shapes its explanatory power compared to the national context.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":539,"journal":{"name":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2024-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13705-024-00500-0","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142889491","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Agroforestry systems and forest resources as a potential for sustainable energy development in the western Balkan region","authors":"Mirjana Bojović,&nbsp;Zorica Mrkonjić,&nbsp;Igor Vukelić","doi":"10.1186/s13705-024-00502-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13705-024-00502-y","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Background&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;The significance of sustainable energy development and the battle against climate change continues to grow each year. Countries exhibiting unsustainable fossil fuel consumption practices are actively pursuing strategies to decrease import dependency and mitigate pollution through innovative approaches in their energy policies. In this context, the countries aim to rely primarily on their own direct and indirect energy resources. Identifying and using new resources to secure clean energy represents one of the strategic approaches to achieving the established objective. The focus is on using resources that have the greatest potential and whose exploitation aligns with the economic capabilities of the countries. The Western Balkan countries have relied on substantial coal use for decades, resulting in significant pollution emissions, but they lack the capacity to invest in specific renewable energy alternatives. Upon examining the potential, it is evident that the most significant opportunity for acquiring clean energy in the region is found in the biomass sourced from forestry and agriculture. The exploitation of agroforestry systems facilitates carbon sequestration, in addition to various beneficial outcomes. The Western Balkan region boasts abundant forests and lands conducive to the implementation of agroforestry systems, which hold considerable, yet untapped, potential for clean energy generation. This paper aims to review and synthesize knowledge regarding agroforestry in the Western Balkan countries, assess the capacity of forest and agroforestry resources, and identify essential activities that can promote their more intensive yet sustainable use.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Main text&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;The potential of using agroforestry as a source of bioenergy has not been sufficiently explored in the Western Balkans. Therefore, the research was conducted by examining the scientific literature and pertinent statistical indicators. The literature search covered 85 scientific references, encompassing conference proceedings, abstracts, and additional valuable resources. This expanded reference base provided a solid foundation for analyses and discussions on agroforestry in the Western Balkan region. Following that, an analysis of the forest potential and prior experiences in energy production from forest biomass in five Western Balkan countries was conducted and presented. The analysis revealed that the share of forests and forest biomass in the region’s total territory is the lowest in Albania (37.5%) and the highest in Bosnia and Herzegovina (61.1%). This signifies a substantial biomass potential that is underused, while agroforestry systems exist in rural regions only in a few areas that satisfy the requirements of individual households. The systematic collection of biomass from the agroforestry system and its usage for clean energy generation are at a minimal level. Furthermore, the examination of the regulatory framework demonstrates the impo","PeriodicalId":539,"journal":{"name":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2024-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13705-024-00502-y","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142889492","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An intervention framework for the adoption of solar home system technology in rural Vhembe district, South Africa","authors":"Ranganai Chidembo,&nbsp;Joseph Francis,&nbsp;Simbarashe Kativhu","doi":"10.1186/s13705-024-00493-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13705-024-00493-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Solar photovoltaic technology is one of the promising renewable energy solutions of the twenty-first century. It successfully provides electricity to industries, homes and even the transport sector. The decreasing prices of solar modules from 2010 have made Solar Home Systems Technology (SHST) increasingly attractive compared to other renewable energy technologies. Paradoxically, in rural communities of South Africa the usage of SHS remains low. Households continue to rely on unclean energy sources such as firewood for cooking and water heating. Previous efforts to electrify rural communities with SHS have failed considerably. Thus, a comprehensive study was conducted in the Vhembe District, encompassing three villages, to explore this issue and develop a contextualised solution using a behavioural change model. A 35-item questionnaire was randomly administered to 310 households to understand the factors that contribute to the low adoption rate of SHS technology. The data gathered were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics and Amos version 28. Confirmatory factor analysis and hypothesis testing were employed as the principal statistical methods.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>A 12-item model with five distinct factors consolidated into a single measurement model was revealed. All standardised factor loadings exceeded 0.7. Composite reliability values (CR) were above 0.8 and higher than MaxR(H) values, indicating the model’s reliability. Among the five factors influencing SHS adoption (perceived behavioural control, attitude, intention, trust, and subjective norms), only trust and attitude significantly impacted the intention to adopt SHS in the district (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05). Based on these findings, the conceptualised structural model reflected SHS adoption as determined by the integration of the technology’s social, technical and policy factors. Because of this, this should be regarded as a true reflection of the practical and behavioural intentions of local communities. Moreover, in this paper the barriers hindering SHS adoption are explained, emphasising the significance of attitude and trust. Highlights of policy imperatives are included together with a proposal for a contextual framework, and the way of promoting sustainable solutions. Emphasis is placed on the importance of scaling up renewable energy access.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>This research provides a compelling academic exploration of the barriers to the adoption of SHS, the influential role of attitudes and trust, policy considerations, a contextual framework, and the need for promoting sustainable solutions and expanding access to renewable energy. The South African government should lead a change in how solar PV is deployed, considering its social impact, associated technical skills and policy support.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":539,"journal":{"name":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2024-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13705-024-00493-w","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142844788","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gender-based opportunity structure in the energy sector: a literature review on women’s networking and mentoring","authors":"Daniela Lazoroska,&nbsp;Jenny Palm,&nbsp;Anna-Riikka Kojonsaari","doi":"10.1186/s13705-024-00494-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13705-024-00494-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>While the energy system is recognized as the largest contributor to climate disruption, the bulk of the sustainability-oriented interventions are made through technologies rather than employment equity and social justice issues. Emergent research points to the critical role of increasing the number of women and other minoritized groups in the energy sector, which could have a cultural, economic, and environmental impact. Nevertheless, how inclusion and diversity in the sector are to be achieved is not clear.</p><h3>Main text</h3><p>This article is a result of a structured literature review of earlier research focusing on gender in professional networks and mentoring programs within the energy sector. Professional networks and mentoring have been identified as some of the tools employed for increasing gender diversity in the sector. We seek to understand how gender has been integrated, what the main barriers and enablers for women are, and what strategies organizations have applied to achieve gender balance so that men and women face equal opportunities to partake in and influence decisions concerning the energy system.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>We found that women’s exclusion is not recognized as a problem that needs to be acknowledged, monitored, or addressed by the energy sector or policymakers. Professional mentoring and networking have largely been employed to fill the career advancement and diversity gaps left untackled by the energy sector or policymakers. Opportunities for women to be meaningfully included in energy systems decision-making are still limited and fragmented. Furthermore, this lack of recognition is mirrored in energy research. We identified a concerning lack of evidence-based findings on the topic of women’s networking and mentoring in the energy sector. We thus call for in-depth, qualitative, and critical examinations of how opportunities for women and other minoritized groups are generated on both the policy and practice level.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":539,"journal":{"name":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2024-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13705-024-00494-9","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142844845","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"“Just” energy? An ecofeminist analysis and critique of a predominant conception of energy","authors":"Noemi Calidori,&nbsp;Giovanni Frigo,&nbsp;Rafaela Hillerbrand","doi":"10.1186/s13705-024-00495-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13705-024-00495-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>This theoretical paper offers an ecofeminist analysis and critique of a specific conception of energy. The hypothesis is that, at least in the Western context, there is a characteristic socio-economic understanding of energy as a resource and commodity for human needs and the development of human societies. This conception corresponds to a cultural understanding that is both different from and broader than the scientific notion of energy. Such a conception has become part of several narratives, including energy policy. Our research question is: <i>does this conception of energy as a commodity and resource affect the relation between humans and nature? And if so, how?</i></p><h3>Results</h3><p>Drawing on the work of Val Plumwood, and Greta Gaard, we argue that conceiving of energy as a resource and commodity for human needs and the socio-economic development of human societies reinforces and mediates the hierarchical and oppressive dualism “human-nature”, thus contributing to backgrounding, excluding, incorporating, and instrumentalizing some parts of nonhuman nature as well as some human groups.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The idea of energy as a commodity shapes public debates and policies, worsening existing environmental issues. This dominant perspective affects how people respond to environmental challenges and crises, both individually and collectively. This article aims to encourage more critical and open discussions about energy. It suggests that researchers and policymakers adopt more radical and less oppressive approaches in their academic work, benefiting both the human and non-human world.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":539,"journal":{"name":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2024-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13705-024-00495-8","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142811124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Life cycle environmental impacts and costs of water electrolysis technologies for green hydrogen production in the future","authors":"Jan Christian Koj,&nbsp;Petra Zapp,&nbsp;Christoph Wieland,&nbsp;Klaus Görner,&nbsp;Wilhelm Kuckshinrichs","doi":"10.1186/s13705-024-00497-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13705-024-00497-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>To limit climate change and reduce further harmful environmental impacts, the reduction and substitution of fossil energy carriers will be the main challenges of the next few decades. During the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), the participants agreed on the beginning of the end of the fossil fuel era. Hydrogen, when produced from renewable energy, can be a substitute for fossil fuel carriers and enable the storage of renewable energy, which could lead to a post-fossil energy age. This paper outlines the environmental impacts and levelized costs of hydrogen production during the life cycle of water electrolysis technologies.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The environmental impacts and life cycle costs associated with hydrogen production will significantly decrease in the long term (until 2045). For the case of Germany, the worst-case climate change results for 2022 were 27.5 kg CO_2eq./kg H₂. Considering technological improvements, electrolysis operation with wind power and a clean heat source, a reduction to 1.33 kg CO_2eq./kg H₂ can be achieved by 2045 in the best case. The electricity demand of electrolysis technologies is the main contributor to environmental impacts and levelized costs in most of the considered cases.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>A unique combination of possible technological, environmental, and economic developments in the production of green hydrogen up to the year 2045 was presented.</p><p>Based on a comprehensive literature review, several research gaps, such as a combined comparison of all three technologies by LCA and LCC, were identified, and research questions were posed and answered. Consequently, prospective research should not be limited to one type of water electrolysis but should be carried out with an openness to all three technologies. Furthermore, it has been shown that data from the literature for the LCA and LCC of water electrolysis technologies differ considerably in some cases. Therefore, extensive research into material inventories for plant construction and into the energy and mass balances of plant operation are needed for a corresponding analysis to be conducted. Even for today’s plants, the availability and transparency of the literature data remain low and must be expanded.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":539,"journal":{"name":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2024-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13705-024-00497-6","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142778253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of sense of ownership in rural community mini-grid management: qualitative case study from Tanzania","authors":"Irene F. Ngoti","doi":"10.1186/s13705-024-00496-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13705-024-00496-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>The majority of mini-grids in Tanzania are managed by private entities, faith-based institutions, and the government. In contrast, a limited number of mini-grids under community management strive to survive. Although the concept of “sense of ownership” is considered crucial for mini-grid sustainability in developing countries, there is limited theoretical exploration of the factors that drive this concept and its effects on community mini-grid management. This paper assesses the relationship between the sense of ownership among electricity users and the effective management of two solar community-based mini-grids with different sustainability experience.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>A sense of ownership plays a role in establishing the decision-making process of mini-grids among village energy committee members toward sustainable or unsustainable management. The mechanisms behind the sense of ownership among community members toward managing mini-grids are largely expedited by the strong leadership of village energy committee members, community participation in decision-making and resource mobilisation, especially in the preparation, design and implementation phases of mini-grids.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>A sense of ownership is found to influence the effective management of community mini-grids in Tanzania. When designing mini-grid project policies and programs that target respective communities as prospective owners, energy practitioners and policy-makers should consider creating an environment that nurtures a sense of ownership.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":539,"journal":{"name":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2024-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13705-024-00496-7","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142761908","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}