Halfway to decentralisation? Understanding the energy paradigm shift in Italy

Giada F.P. Coleandro

Chapter 14 in Are Low-Carbon Futures Decentralised?, 2025, pp 171-180 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: The decentralisation of electricity systems is considered a promising alternative to centralised configurations, with the potential to accelerate energy transitions. Nevertheless, several obstacles remain, including opposition from incumbents, inadequate regulatory frameworks and ill-suited infrastructure. This chapter expands upon the conceptualisation of decentralisation as a socio-technical process shaped by a set of complex factors. The objective of this study is to propose a framework to analyse decentralisation as the interplay between three key factors: institutional change, infrastructure reconfiguration, and knowledge and participation dynamics. This framework is employed to examine the introduction of renewable energy communities (RECs) in Italy, with the aim of elucidating their role in the decentralisation of the electricity system. The findings reveal that this innovation is encountering considerable challenges due to path-dependent mechanisms that impede institutional and infrastructural change. Furthermore, the prevailing power structures inhibit the capacity of RECs to challenge established knowledge and expertise, thereby limiting public involvement.

Keywords: Decentralisation; Renewable Energy Communities; Italy; Institutions; Knowledge; Infrastructure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781035355181
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