A social network perspective on involvement in community energy initiatives: The role of direct and extended social ties to initiators

F. Goedkoop, J. Dijkstra and A. Flache

Energy Policy, 2022, vol. 171, issue C

Abstract: This study investigates the role of social networks in influencing individuals' decision whether to participate in a community energy initiative (CEI), by incorporating different types of social contact between community members and CEI initiators. Engagement of community members is crucial for the success of a CEI and thus a key question is how the initiators can reach community members and stimulate involvement. By analyzing the community's social network we investigate how the structure of social ties between community members and initiators influences participation. We take both existence and number of strong and weak direct personal ties into account. In addition, we investigate the role of extended ties community members have to initiators, operationalized via indirect links through co-memberships of local associations. Data were obtained from eight communities in the Netherlands where a CEI was recently initiated (N = 467 respondents). Our results demonstrate that community members' willingness to participate in a CEI is positively associated with direct ties to the initiators, both weak and strong, but there is no association with extended ties to initiators. Possible strategies of how initiators might best utilize their social ties are discussed.

Keywords: Renewable energy; Community energy initiatives; Initiative involvement; Social networks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:enepol:v:171:y:2022:i:c:s0301421522004797

DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2022.113260

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