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Leading from the Niche: Insights from a Strategic Dialogue of Renewable Energy Cooperatives in The Netherlands

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  • Antonia Proka

    (Dutch Research Institute for Transitions, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 3062 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Derk Loorbach

    (Dutch Research Institute for Transitions, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 3062 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Matthijs Hisschemöller

    (Dutch Research Institute for Transitions, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 3062 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Renewable energy cooperatives envision and manifest an alternative way of organising within the energy system (and beyond). Yet, despite their growth, it is uncertain whether such initiatives are able to increase and deepen their impact, leading the transition to an environmentally sustainable and socially just energy system. This paper presents insights from a strategic dialogue co-organised with the Dutch national interest group of renewable energy cooperatives “ODE Decentraal”. We used transition management as action research methodology to organise the dialogue to understand and support the transformative potential of the cooperative energy movement. The dialogue helped to clarify the challenges and possibilities for scaling energy cooperatives beyond the niche, supporting at the same time the participants to reflect, strategize and develop a shared transition agenda. This contribution presents and analyses our intervention and its impact, also specifically evaluating the potential of transition management to facilitate social learning processes, reflexivity and the development of strategic actions. Our intervention confirmed the hypothesis that actors in the niche often focus too much on the competition with the regime for individual goals, thereby failing to collectively strategize and engage with incumbent regimes in a systematic way.

Suggested Citation

  • Antonia Proka & Derk Loorbach & Matthijs Hisschemöller, 2018. "Leading from the Niche: Insights from a Strategic Dialogue of Renewable Energy Cooperatives in The Netherlands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-21, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:11:p:4106-:d:181570
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Vernay, Anne-Lorène & Sebi, Carine, 2020. "Energy communities and their ecosystems: A comparison of France and the Netherlands," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    4. Deyana Spasova & Sibylle Braungardt, 2021. "Building a Common Support Framework in Differing Realities—Conditions for Renewable Energy Communities in Germany and Bulgaria," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-16, August.
    5. Nikolaos Sifakis & Tryfon Daras & Theocharis Tsoutsos, 2020. "How Much Energy Efficient are Renewable Energy Sources Cooperatives’ Initiatives?," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-22, March.
    6. Wittmayer, Julia M. & Avelino, Flor & Pel, Bonno & Campos, Inês, 2021. "Contributing to sustainable and just energy systems? The mainstreaming of renewable energy prosumerism within and across institutional logics," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    7. Michael Krug & Maria Rosaria Di Nucci & Lucas Schwarz & Irene Alonso & Isabel Azevedo & Massimo Bastiani & Anna Dyląg & Erik Laes & Arthur Hinsch & Gaidis Klāvs & Ivars Kudreņickis & Pouyan Maleki & G, 2023. "Implementing European Union Provisions and Enabling Frameworks for Renewable Energy Communities in Nine Countries: Progress, Delays, and Gaps," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-29, May.
    8. Dimitris Al. Katsaprakakis & Antonia Proka & Dimitris Zafirakis & Markos Damasiotis & Panos Kotsampopoulos & Nikos Hatziargyriou & Eirini Dakanali & George Arnaoutakis & Dimitrios Xevgenos, 2022. "Greek Islands’ Energy Transition: From Lighthouse Projects to the Emergence of Energy Communities," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-34, August.
    9. Anne-Lorene Vernay & Carine Sebi, 2020. "Energy communities and their ecosystems A comparison of France and the Netherlands," Post-Print hal-02987790, HAL.
    10. Esther C. van der Waal & Alexandra M. Das & Tineke van der Schoor, 2020. "Participatory Experimentation with Energy Law: Digging in a ‘Regulatory Sandbox’ for Local Energy Initiatives in the Netherlands," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-21, January.

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