A conceptual typology of energy citizenship

Abstract

Energy citizenship is viewed as playing an essential role in the transition towards sustainable energy systems on a national and global scale. However, as a social science concept it is rather fuzzy and insufficiently elaborated. This paper proposes a conceptual typology of energy citizenship that aims for a balance between various competing understandings, in full awareness of ontological and disciplinary differences. The identification of conceptual dimensions and categories for the typology is based on a thorough literature research in the fields of energy social sciences and political sciences, resulting in the formulation of ten ideal types. In a next step, the conceptual typology was empirically tested and substantiated by mapping 596 cases of energy citizenship across Europe. This article presents the conceptual background of the typology and describes the ten ideal-types, highlighting conceptual characteristics, and illustrating them with salient examples. The conceptual typology captures the breadth of energy citizenship, encompassing both existing and possible types. It can be used by practitioners in the design of initiatives and/or policies acknowledging the various possible contributions of energy citizenship to a more sustainable, just and democratic energy system, and in social science studies on transformative social innovations, (dis)empowerment and “knowings of governance”.