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The Energy System and the Sharing Economy: Interfaces and Overlaps and What to Learn from Them

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  • Frederik Plewnia

    (Faculty of Business and Economics, Chair of Sustainable Management and Environmental Accounting, Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
    Boysen TU Dresden Research Training Group, Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany)

Abstract

The dissemination of decentralized renewable energy generation, storage and smart metering devices has led to the need for new business models and coordination mechanisms in the energy sector. At the same time, the emerging sharing economy focuses on using digital platforms to coordinate value creation on a decentralized level. While sharing concepts have already been applied to specific energy technologies and microgrids, a more general understanding of what the sharing economy means in the context of the energy sector is still missing. This paper aims to bring these two topics together and to analyze their interfaces and overlaps. For this purpose, this paper draws from existent scientific publications, reports, blog posts, and websites as well as company workshops to discuss which activities and characteristics of the sharing economy might be applicable to the energy sector. Results show that there are significant overlaps in characteristics of the sharing economy and of the transitioning energy system. Furthermore, a broad range of business models within the energy system were found to be based on sharing resources. The findings of this study open up a range of new research and business opportunities at the interface of the sharing economy and the transitioning energy system.

Suggested Citation

  • Frederik Plewnia, 2019. "The Energy System and the Sharing Economy: Interfaces and Overlaps and What to Learn from Them," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-17, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:12:y:2019:i:3:p:339-:d:199959
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Pia Szichta & Ingela Tietze, 2020. "Sharing Economy in der Elektrizitätswirtschaft: Treiber und Hemmnisse [Title sharing economy in the electricity sector: drivers and barriers]," NachhaltigkeitsManagementForum | Sustainability Management Forum, Springer, vol. 28(3), pages 109-125, December.
    3. Shirazi, Masoud, 2022. "Assessing energy trilemma-related policies: The world's large energy user evidence," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    4. Sabina Scarpellini & José Ángel Gimeno & Pilar Portillo-Tarragona & Eva Llera-Sastresa, 2021. "Financial Resources for the Investments in Renewable Self-Consumption in a Circular Economy Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-17, June.
    5. Henni, Sarah & Staudt, Philipp & Weinhardt, Christof, 2021. "A sharing economy for residential communities with PV-coupled battery storage: Benefits, pricing and participant matching," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    6. Maarten Wolsink, 2020. "Framing in Renewable Energy Policies: A Glossary," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-31, June.
    7. Cabral, Natália Gomes Cavalcante & Gohr, Cláudia Fabiana, 2023. "Sustainable value creation in sharing economy: Conceptual framework proposition and application in Brazilian offline communities," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 186(PA).
    8. Chie Hoon Song, 2021. "Exploring and Predicting the Knowledge Development in the Field of Energy Storage: Evidence from the Emerging Startup Landscape," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-20, September.
    9. Holden, Erling & Linnerud, Kristin & Rygg, Bente Johnsen, 2021. "A review of dominant sustainable energy narratives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    10. Hong-Chao Gao & Joon-Ho Choi & Sang-Yun Yun & Seon-Ju Ahn, 2020. "A New Power Sharing Scheme of Multiple Microgrids and an Iterative Pairing-Based Scheduling Method," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-20, April.

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