Creating valuable outcomes : an exploration of value creation pathways in the business models of energy communities

Barnes, Jake (avtor), Hansen, Paula (avtor), Kamin, Tanja (avtor), Golob, Urša (avtor), Darby, Sarah (avtor), Grijp, Nicolien van der (avtor), Petrovics, Daniel (avtor)

Energy communities (ECs) have emerged as new, collective market actors within European energy systems. Their innovative business models are thought to result in a multiple types of value creation that transcend mere economic considerations. Yet, despite widespread acknowledgement of this, how multiple types of value are created in ECs remains inadequately explored and understood. We engage with this challenge by (1) situating ECs within the longer history and body of knowledge on community participation in energy systems before (2) mobilising insights on value creation from the literature on business models, and (3) distinguishing between value creation as a business model process and types of value outcomes derived from business activities. We apply this approach to three paradigmatic European cases and through comparative analysis identify two distinct value creation pathways. The first pathway links business activities and how they are assembled to functional value outcomes such as cost savings or CO2 reduction, which are quantifiable. The second pathway links how ECs are governed to normative value outcomes such as increased agency or social cohesion, which is a matter of individuals’ perception. These results, we argue, call for greater attention and support to questions of organisation and process to ensure the transformational potential of ECs is realised.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: energy communities, business models, value creation, energy democracy, community energy
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: FDV - Fakulteta za družbene vede
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2024
• Št. strani: Str. 1-13
• Številčenje: Vol. 108, [article no.] 103398
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-153494
• UDK: 316.334.5:620.9
• ISSN pri članku: 2214-6326
• DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2023.103398
• COBISS.SI-ID: 180079363
• Datum objave v RUL: 10.01.2024

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: Energy research & social science
• Založnik: Elsevier
• ISSN: 2214-6326
• COBISS.SI-ID: 527289881

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: To je standardna licenca Creative Commons, ki daje uporabnikom največ možnosti za nadaljnjo uporabo dela, pri čemer morajo navesti avtorja.

Projekti

• Financer: EC - European Commission
• Program financ.: European Commission
• Številka projekta: 837752
• Naslov: New Clean Energy Communities in a Changing European Energy System (NEWCOMERS)
• Akronim: NEWCOMERS