Thesis

Power to (some of) the people : inequalities in the uptake of low-carbon energy technologies, and how to fix them at a local level

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Awarding institution
  • University of Strathclyde
Date of award
  • 2023
Thesis identifier
  • T16765
Person Identifier (Local)
  • 201851479
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Abstract
  • Low-carbon technologies such as solar PV and heat pumps have a crucial role to play in the net zero energy transition. Beyond reducing emissions, these technologies can provide substantial social and economic benefits to people who install them in their homes, including reduced bills, new income and improved health and well-being. For these benefits, however, research demonstrates that more affluent households have been able to access low-carbon technologies at a far greater rate than lower income groups even where government financial support is in place, creating a stark inequality issue. At the same time, local energy approaches - such as community energy or smart local energy systems – are demonstrating innovative new ways of delivering clean energy and its associated benefits to people and places. At the heart of this thesis are thus two key questions: (1) What has driven inequalities in low-carbon technology uptake so far? and (2) what are the opportunities from local energy approaches to rectify these? To answer these questions, this thesis takes a mixed methods approach, using a combination of quantitative analysis, participatory action research, interviews and case studies. It finds crucially that that inequalities in the uptake of low-carbon technologies at the household-level are not simply financial, but are also driven by powerful social and informational forces. Using novel statistical techniques, I show that these forces have combined to create an inequality "trap" that has locked-in and accelerated inequalities in low-carbon technology uptake over time. It then applies distributional quantitative analysis to community energy projects across in Scotland and finds that, contrary to inequalities at the household level, community energy has tended to be more redistributive, bringing the benefits of those technologies into low-income areas often as a priority. This suggests that community energy could have a key role to play in delivering more equitable net zero energy policy. Finally, it unpacks new innovations in local energy systems in low-income areas specifically, and explores how these innovations can be leveraged to overcome key barriers to uptake for low-income communities and ultimately support a more just energy transition.
Advisor / supervisor
  • Ford, Rebecca
  • Dellepiane-Avellaneda, Sebastian
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file details PDF of thesis T16765 2023-11-07 公开 下载