Energy citizenship: A critical perspective

The centrality of energy for daily life entails that citizens' relations to energy need particular attention, to the extent that it might merit a specific concept of energy citizenship. However, the academic literature on energy citizenship has remained small even if it is growing, the concept itself underspecified, and focused on a narrow set of topics that leave many core social science insights on both citizenship and energy governance unaddressed. In this perspective, we analyze the concept of energy citizenship as it is used in the current energy research literature and develop reflections on how and why current approaches do not seem to trigger further specification of the concept. We carry this discussion forward by refining the concept and proposing a new agenda for future energy citizenship research areas. We conclude with three primary outcomes that require more attention when juxtaposing energy and citizenship: the question of who counts as a 'citizen' in energy citizenship initiatives, interrelations between democratic cultures and citizenship, and diverse citizenships enacted among various kinds of energy infrastructure.

Automated summary

The centrality of energy for daily life emphasizes the need for attention to citizens' relations with energy, potentially requiring a specific concept of energy citizenship. Despite the growing academic literature on energy citizenship, the concept remains underdeveloped and narrowly focused, neglecting important social science insights on citizenship and energy governance. This study analyzes the current use of the concept in energy research literature and proposes a refined concept and a new research agenda for energy citizenship. The study highlights the importance of addressing the inclusion of individuals in energy citizenship initiatives, the interplay between democratic cultures and citizenship, and the diverse forms of citizenship within different energy infrastructure.