Multiscalar energy transitions: Exploring the strategies of renewable energy cooperatives in South Korea

Abstract

We investigate the multiscale roles of renewable energy cooperatives (RE co-ops) in South Korea. This paper focuses on citizen participatory RE co-ops as a niche that plays a vital role in the community-led energy pathway. This paper conducted a narrative analysis based on data about RE co-ops' current status and in-depth interviews. We analyzed core changes and inertia in the conventional energy system at the national, regional, and local scales by comparing within and between scales. Each scale consisted of a patchwork of distinguishable subregimes, i.e., market, policy, and culture. We argue that a niche plays the creative role of adjusting the subregimes at each scale grounded in manageable resources such as their economic means, bylaws, and relationships. By identifying a gap between the ideal community-led energy pathway and how each spatial scale works, we show that a strategic political process should fill the gap, especially when niche actors try to actualize energy transition under adverse conditions.