The meaning of energy islands: Towards a theoretical framework

E. Rettig, I. Fischhendler and F. Schlecht

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2023, vol. 187, issue C

Abstract: The term ‘energy island’ encompasses contradicting interpretations to electricity connectivity and isolation. Scholars and practitioners use the same term to describe contrasting scenarios that address different problems and widely divergent policy goals. These may include physically secluded islands trying to connect to the mainland to increase their energy security, or countries wishing to actively isolate their electricity systems from a hostile surrounding region, or artificial islands that enable more integration of renewable energy systems, or microgrids that enable communities and regions to voluntarily disconnect from their country's national grid for political purposes. The understanding of energy islands as either an opportunity to pursue or a vulnerability to overcome can thus differ based on factors such as economic constraints, technical capabilities, security of supply, or political aspirations for sovereignty and independence. This study provides a comprehensive framework for unpacking the term 'energy island' and analyzing the various factors that influence its development. It does so by conceptualizing energy islands as a spatial interaction between three boundaries: a physical boundary, a political boundary, and an electricity service boundary. By examining the interplay between these boundaries, this study identifies six different types of energy islands that represent six distinct configurations of electricity isolation, as well as seven policy trajectories that allow them to transition from one type to another. This novel theoretical framework facilitates a better understanding of why and when policymakers choose to either abandon or strengthen their country's electricity isolation and identifies the physical and institutional solutions they employ to achieve their goals.

Keywords: Energy island; Electricity; Grid interlink; Political island; Service area; Cooperation; Isolation; Renewable energy; Microgrid; Interconnector; Boundary; Vulnerability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032123005890
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:rensus:v:187:y:2023:i:c:s1364032123005890

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/bibliographic
http://www.elsevier. ... 600126/bibliographic

DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2023.113732

Access Statistics for this article

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews is currently edited by L. Kazmerski

More articles in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().