Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Engendering the Energy Transition: Inspiring Examples of Gender-Just Citizen Energy Communities in Europe

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Women and the Energy Sector

  • 147 Accesses

Abstract

Despite the progress made, a gender gap still exists concerning female participation, visibility and representation in management and top-level positions in the energy field. According to a recent IRENA study, women represent only 32% of the renewable energy workforce and 22% of the oil and gas industry workforce. Considerable deficits in the engagement of women in community energy also exist, where male participation often rises to even 80%. Research has also shown significant gender differences in the average ownership rate, the average investment sum and leadership positions. While energy communities employ more women, they often struggle to attract female members, especially vulnerable women. In this context, the European cooperative energy movement wishes to increase its efforts to close the, still persisting, gender gap. This contribution focuses on inspiring examples from the European community energy context, such as female-led citizen energy cooperatives, gender-just citizen energy alliances and female-driven citizen solar photovoltaic installers, who illustrate alternative cultures, structures and practices that have the potential to radically transform the energy system. Recommendations for engendering the energy transition are also made.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • European Commission. (2020). A Union of Equality: Gender Equality Strategy. (2020–2025). https://ec.europa.eu/info/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/gender-equality/gender-equality-strategy_en

  • AEMENER. (2018). Observatorio sobre el rol de la mujer en las empresas del sector energetico 2018. https://aemener.es/pdf/AEMENER%20Informe%20Observatorio%202018.pdf

  • Allen, E., Lyons, H., & Stephens, J. C. (2019). Women’s leadership in renewable transformation, energy justice and energy democracy: Redistributing power. Energy Research & Social Science, 57, 101233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Angel, J. (2016). Towards energy democracy. In Discussions and outcomes from an international workshop.

    Google Scholar 

  • Azocar, M. J., & Ferree, M. M. (2016). Engendering the sociology of expertise. Sociology Compass, 10(12), 1079–1089.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becker, S., & Naumann, M. (2017). Energy democracy: Mapping the debate on energy alternatives. Geography Compass, 11(8), e12321.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Besley, T., Folke, O., Persson, T., & Rickne, J. (2017). Gender quotas and the crisis of the mediocre man: Theory and evidence from Sweden. American Economic Review, 107(8), 2204–2242.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burke, M. J. (2018). Shared yet contested: Energy democracy counter-narratives. Frontiers in Communication, 3, 22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burke, M. J., & Stephens, J. C. (2017). Energy democracy: Goals and policy instruments for sociotechnical transitions. Energy Research & Social Science, 33, 35–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cecelski, E., & Dutta, S. (2011). Mainstreaming gender in energy projects–a practical handbook. ENERGIA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clancy, J. S., Daskalova, V. I., Feenstra, M. H., & Franceschelli, N. (2017). Gender perspective on access to energy in the EU.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooperatives Europe. (2020, February 10). Gender equality charter released. https://coopseurope.coop/resources/news/gender-equality-charter-released

  • Directive 2013/33/EU of the European Parliament and of the COUNCIL of 26 June 2013 laying down standards for the reception of applicants for international protection (recast). Retrieved February 2, 2017, from http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32013L0033&from=EN

  • Duwe, M., Velten, E. K., Evans, N., Freundt, M., Pestiaux, J., Martin, B., Vermeulen, P., & Vermeulen, P. (2019). Planning for Net Zero: Assessing the draft national energy and climate plans as cited in WECF (2021) Why the European Green Deal needs Ecofeminism: Moving from gender-blind to gender-transformative environmental policies.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ely, R. J., & Thomas, D. A. (2020). Getting serious about diversity. Harvard Business Review, 98(6), 114–122.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feenstra, M., & Özerol, G. (2021). Energy justice as a search light for gender-energy nexus: Towards a conceptual framework. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 138, 110668.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feldpausch-Parker, A. M., Endres, D., & Peterson, T. R. (2019). Editorial: A research agenda for energy democracy. Frontiers in Communication, 4(2019), 19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fraune, C. (2015). Gender matters: Women, renewable energy, and citizen participation in Germany. Energy Research & Social Science, 7, 55–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IEA. (2014). Energy supply security. Emergency Response of IEA Countries 2014. https://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/ENERGYSUPPLYSECURITY2014.pdf

  • IRENA. (2019). Renewable energy: A gender perspective. IRENA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins, K., McCauley, D., Heffron, R., Stephan, H., & Rehner, R. (2016). Energy justice: A conceptual review. Energy Research & Social Science, 11, 174–182.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, O. W., Han, J. Y. C., Knight, A. L., Mortensen, S., Aung, M. T., Boyland, M., & Resurrección, B. P. (2020). Intersectionality and energy transitions: A review of gender, social equity and low-carbon energy. Energy Research & Social Science, 70, 101774.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaijser, A., & Kronsell, A. (2014). Climate change through the lens of intersectionality. Environmental politics, 23(3), 417–433.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kooij, H. J., Oteman, M., Veenman, S., Sperling, K., Magnusson, D., Palm, J., & Hvelplund, F. (2018). Between grassroots and treetops: Community power and institutional dependence in the renewable energy sector in Denmark, Sweden and The Netherlands. Energy Research & Social Science, 37, 52–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lieu, J., Sorman, A. H., Johnson, O. W., Virla, L. D., & Resurrección, B. P. (2020). Three sides to every story: Gender perspectives in energy transition pathways in Canada, Kenya and Spain. Energy Research & Social Science, 68, 101550.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moodley, L., Holt, T., Leke, A., & Desvaux, G. (2016, August). Women matter Africa. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/featured%20insights/Women%20matter/Women%20matter%20Africa/Women%20Matter%20Africa%20August%202016.ashx

  • Noland, M., Moran, T., & Kotschwar, B. (2016). Is gender diversity profitable? Evidence from a global survey. Peterson Institute for International Economics.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • ÖGUT (Österreichische Gesellschaft für Umwelt und Technik). (2016). Chancengleichheit von Frauen und Männern in der Energiebranche. https://www.oegut.at/downloads/pdf/Endbericht_Chancengleichheit_Energiebranche.pdf?m= 1480502641

  • Pateman, C. (1985). Women and democratic citizenship. The Jefferson Memorial Lectures at the University of California. Unpublished manuscript.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearl-Martinez, R., & Stephens, J. C. (2016). Toward a gender diverse workforce in the renewable energy transition. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy, 12(1).

    Google Scholar 

  • Proka, A. (2021). Organising for power change: Transformative business models for the energy transition. PhD Thesis, Erasmus University Rotterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Radtke, J. (2016). Bürgerenergie in Deutschland—Partizipation zwischen Gemeinwohl und Rendite.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, S. E. (2014). Rethinking gender and identity in energy studies. Energy Research & Social Science, 1, 96–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sovacool, B. K., & Dworkin, M. H. (2015). Energy justice: Conceptual insights and practical applications. Applied Energy.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steinfort. (2018, September 12). Ecofeminism: Fueling the journey to energy democracy. https://www.tni.org/my/node/24366 ).

  • Stephens, J. C. (2019). Energy democracy: Redistributing power to the people through renewable transformation. Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, 61(2), 4–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sweeny, S. (2014). “Working toward energy democracy.” In State of the World 2014: Governing for Sustainability (Ed.), (pp. 215–227). Worldwatch Institute. Washington, DC: Island Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Szulecki, K., & Overland, I. (2020). Energy democracy as a process, an outcome and a goal: A conceptual review. Energy Research & Social Science, 69, 101768.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UN. (2015). The 17 Goals. https://sdgs.un.org/goals

  • UNFCCC, Paris Agreement, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (2015). https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreement

  • Van Veelen, B., & Van Der Horst, D. (2018). What is energy democracy? Connecting social science energy research and political theory. Energy Research & Social Science, 46, 19–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vansintjan, D. (2015). The energy transition to energy democracy. Power to the people. Final results oriented report of the REScoop 20–20-20 Intelligent Energy Europe project.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vasilakis, A., Vrettos, C., Kitsikopoulos, D., Kontolati, A., Koukoufikis, G., Margosi, M., & Palaiogiannis, F. (2020). Mapping of energy communities in Greece. https://www.greenpeace.org/static/planet4-greece-stateless/184045bd-mapping_of_energy_communities_v1.2.pdf

  • Verbong, G., & Loorbach, D. (Eds.). (2012). Governing the energy transition: Reality, illusion or necessity? Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • WECF. (2021). Why the European green deal needs ecofeminism: Moving from gender-blind to gender-transformative environmental policies.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winther, T., Ulsrud, K., & Saini, A. (2018). Solar powered electricity access: Implications for women’s empowerment in rural Kenya. Energy Research & Social Science, 44, 61–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WISE (Women in Solar Energy). (2017). Women employment in urban public sector.

    Google Scholar 

  • WWEA. (2021). Policy Paper Series (PP-01-21-EN) Women in Community Energy Through Openness to Diversity July 2021.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yildiz, Ö., Rommel, J., Debor, S., Holstenkamp, L., Mey, F., Müller, J. R., Radtke, J., & Rognli, J. (2015). Renewable energy cooperatives as gatekeepers or facilitators? Recent developments in Germany and a multidisciplinary research agenda. Energy Research and Social Science, 6, 59–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. REScoop.eu vzw, European Federation of Citizen Energy Cooperatives, Brussels, Belgium

    Antonia Proka

Authors
  1. Antonia Proka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Antonia Proka .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Coventry University, Coventry, UK

    Natalia Rocha Lawton

  2. Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK

    Cynthia Forson

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Proka, A. (2024). Engendering the Energy Transition: Inspiring Examples of Gender-Just Citizen Energy Communities in Europe. In: Rocha Lawton, N., Forson, C. (eds) Women and the Energy Sector. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-43091-6_9

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation