Where Is the Community in Community Energy?

Abstract

AbstractOne of the most enduring debates in relation to community energy is the significance of the term community. Community energy refers to the active role that people may play in managing and governing energy resources and technologies, but the community is not an homogeneous unit that can be easily identified and defined. Instead, this chapter argues for recognising the inherent diversity of the communities that participate in community energy and how that diversity enhances their potential, but also causes challenges. The chapter explores different theorisations of communities—communities of interest and communities of practice—as well as the different imaginaries associated with the notion of community. This analysis reinforces a dynamic perspective on ideas of community and their mobilisation within particular political contexts.