This research investigates the emergence of new participatory spaces in the transition towards a low-carbon society. Specifically, it focuses on the emerging spaces and roles for community groups in renewable energy governance. The role of community groups in facilitating a low-carbon transition has received much attention in recent years, but has been insufficiently studied within the wider context of evolving state-civil society relations. This research puts forward an understanding of community energy initiatives that is neither inherently celebratory nor dismissive of community action, but argues that such initiatives should be understood based on the interactions – between practices, organisations and relations – within and external to these communities. In doing so, this research adopts an interdisciplinary approach, building on insights from both geography and political science to understand how opportunities for community participation are articulated in particular geographical and political contexts. Grounding this research in Scotland shows the unique ways in which devolution – from the UK Government to the Scottish Government, but primarily through the emerging powers for community groups in Scotland – has created a set of spatially and temporally-specific spaces and practices of intervention. The devolution of energy governance, and the diversity of practices emerging through this process, also raises questions, however, about the democratic qualities of these new spaces and practices. This research specifically explores this issue through building on the emerging concept of energy democracy. ‘Energy democracy’ is a concept that has been adopted by a growing number of international civil society actors who regard the transition to law-carbon energy sources as an opportunity not only for technological innovation but also for wider socio-economic transformation. Invoking an image of associative democracy, those advocating for greater energy democracy consider self-governing community groups as best placed to ensure that the transition towards a low-carbon society is one that is more inclusive, democratic and just. While energy democracy, like related concepts of energy citizenship and energy justice, aims to combine technological and social transformation, its activist roots also means it is noticeably different. This is evident in two ways. First, the current body of literature is largely uncritical and rather vague in nature. The second consequence of the activist roots of energy democracy is that it is diverse in its framing of the issue and its formulation of desired transition pathways. As its main contribution to existing academic debate, my thesis explores and expands the conceptual foundations of ‘energy democracy’ by evaluating its connections to different political theories, and the consequences of different interpretations for energy democracy research and practice. Secondly, I seek to develop the empirical evidence base for energy democracy. The current, primarily activist, literature on energy democracy often assumes rather than demonstrates that the forms of governance it promotes are more democratic than the status quo. This PhD therefore sets out to analyse the complex and varied ways in which local communities practice energy governance in Scotland. First, I introduce a quantitatively-developed typology of community energy projects in Scotland to highlight the diverse nature of the sector. Subsequently I demonstrate through qualitative interviews with community groups how the diversity of the sector (both within and between groups) both contributes to, and challenges, the democratic claims made for and by community energy. In the final part I show that the hybridity of spaces created by, and for, community energy intermediaries reflect the interactions between policy and community-action. Through a focus on the interaction between actors at different governance levels, my research helps to improve an understanding of the creation and contestation of new spaces of intervention in the Scottish energy transition as a process that not only reflects a broader (re)structuring of state-civil society relations, but also provides an early and somewhat experimental expression of such restructuring.

Tesis por compendio / [EN] Energy services are crucial for eradicating poverty, improving human welfare and raising living standards. Thus, providing appropriate and reliable modern energy and sanitation services using secure and environmentally sound technologies, in conformity with socioeconomic needs and cultural values, is essential in the race for sustainable development. Autonomous systems based on the use of renewable energies (RE) have proven suitable for providing affordable, reliable, safe, and high-quality energy and sanitation services to isolated communities. Taking this into consideration, the objectives of this thesis are to investigate the contributions of the Human and Sustainable Development (HSD) approach to the analysis of RE projects in isolated rural areas in developing countries and understand how these projects to provide access to energy in impoverished rural areas should be developed according to the paradigm of HSD. Regarding the first objective, it is considered that, generally, these types of technology projects are designed, implemented and evaluated following strategies consistent with utilitarian approaches, focused on the generation of new resources. However, to analyze the impact of these projects on the lives of the people, in this thesis we use an approach that allows us to extend the analysis on several key dimensions of development that should be considered in the process of these projects. In particular, we have used the HSD approach, which considers that technological projects in rural areas should not only be aimed at increasing levels of access to affordable, reliable, secure and high quality energy, as well as improving the quality of the environment, including the immediate environment in homes, but also at strengthening the autonomy and empowerment of people, expanding their opportunities and freedoms. This approach has been used in six projects to provide access to energy in Andean communities in Peru, carried out by the NGO Practical Action, which consider only RE and community management models. To analyse these projects against the precepts of HSD approach, a special methodology has been designed, incorporating tools to collect data related to the context and individual conversion factors affecting people's capabilities, with particular emphasis on the gender component. Regarding the second objective, based on the results of the analyses, recommendations have been made to overcome barriers and difficulties identified for such projects to truly be catalysts of HSD. Additionally, a management model has been designed to handle any number of different technologies, considering the lessons learned from this research, which has been implemented in a project that includes 6 types of technologies simultaneously, and whose sustainability has proven satisfactory. / [ES] La energía es crucial para erradicar la pobreza, mejorar el bienestar y aumentar los estándares de vida de las personas. En este sentido, para lograr procesos de desarrollo es esencial dotar a la población de modernos servicios básicos energéticos, adecuados y fiables, utilizando tecnologías seguras y ecológicamente racionales, de conformidad con las necesidades socioeconómicas y los valores culturales. Para ello, los sistemas autónomos basados en el uso de las energías renovables (EERR) han demostrado ser adecuados para proporcionar servicios de energía y saneamiento en comunidades rurales aisladas. Tomando esto en consideración, los objetivos de esta tesis son investigar los aportes del enfoque de Desarrollo Humano Sostenible (DHS) al análisis de proyectos de EERR en zonas rurales aisladas de países en vías de desarrollo y entender cómo se deben desarrollar proyectos de EERR para el acceso a la energía en zonas rurales empobrecidas de acuerdo con el paradigma de DHS. En relación al primer objetivo, cabe considerar que, generalmente, este tipo de proyectos tecnológicos se han diseñado, implementado y evaluado siguiendo estrategias acordes con enfoques de cariz utilitarista, centrados en la generación de nuevos recursos. En cambio, para analizar el impacto de este tipo de proyectos en la vida de la personas, en esta tesis se promueve el uso de un enfoque que nos permita ampliar el análisis sobre varias dimensiones clave del desarrollo que deben ser consideradas en el proceso de estos proyectos. En particular, se ha utilizado el enfoque de DHS, según el cual los proyectos tecnológicos en las zonas rurales no sólo deben estar dirigidos a aumentar los niveles de acceso a una energía asequible, fiable, segura y de alta calidad, y a mejorar la calidad del medio ambiente, incluido el entorno inmediato en los hogares, sino también a fortalecer la autonomía y el empoderamiento de las personas, ampliando sus oportunidades y libertades. Este enfoque ha sido empleado en seis estudios de proyectos de acceso a la energía en comunidades rurales andinas del Perú, llevados a cabo por la ONG Practical Action, los cuales cuentan íntegramente con EERR y modelos de gestión comunitarios. Para realizar el análisis de estos proyectos en base a los preceptos del DHS se ha diseñado una metodología ad hoc, incorporando herramientas para obtener datos relativos al contexto y a los factores de conversión individual que afectan a las capacidades de las personas, haciendo especial hincapié a la componente de género. En relación al segundo objetivo, en base a los resultados de los análisis realizados, se han presentado una serie de recomendaciones con las que se pueden superar las barreras y dificultades identificadas para que este tipo de proyectos sean verdaderamente catalizadores del DHS. Además, se ha diseñado un modelo de gestión capaz de gestionar cualquier número de tecnologías distintas, considerando los aprendizajes adquiridos en las investigaciones anteriores, el cual ha sido puesto en práctica en un proyecto que incorpora 6 tipos de tecnologías simultáneamente, y cuya sostenibilidad ha demostrado ser satisfactoria. / [CA] L'energia és crucial per a eradicar la pobresa, millorar el benestar i augmentar els estàndards de vida de les persones. En aquest sentit, dotar la població de moderns serveis bàsics energètics, adequats i fiables, utilitzant tecnologies segures i ecològicament racionals, de conformitat amb les necessitats socioeconòmiques i els valors culturals, és essencial per aconseguir processos de desenvolupament. Per a això, els sistemes autònoms basats en l'ús de les energies renovables (EERR) han demostrat ser adequats per proporcionar serveis d'energia i sanejament en comunitats rurals aïllades. Prenent això en consideració, els objectius d'aquesta tesi són investigar les aportacions de l'enfocament de Desenvolupament Humà Sostenible (DHS) a l'anàlisi de projectes d'EERR en zones rurals aïllades de països en vies de desenvolupament i entendre com s'han de desenvolupar projectes d'EERR per a l'accés a l'energia en zones rurals empobrides d'acord amb el paradigma de DHS. En relació al primer objectiu, cal considerar que, generalment, aquest tipus de projectes tecnològics s'han dissenyat, implementat i avaluat seguint estratègies acords amb enfocaments de caire utilitarista, centrats en la generació de nous recursos. En canvi, per analitzar l'impacte d'aquest tipus de projectes en la vida de les persones, en aquesta tesi es promou l'ús d'un enfocament que ens permeta ampliar l'anàlisi sobre diverses dimensions clau del desenvolupament que han de ser considerades en el procés d'aquests projectes. En particular, s'ha utilitzat l'enfocament de DHS, segons el qual els projectes tecnològics a les zones rurals no només han d'estar dirigits a augmentar els nivells d'accés a una energia assequible, fiable, segura i d'alta qualitat, i a millorar la qualitat del medi ambient, inclòs l'entorn immediat a les llars, sinó també a enfortir l'autonomia i l'empoderament de les persones, ampliant les seves oportunitats i llibertats. Aquest enfocament ha estat emprat en sis estudis de projectes d'accés a l'energia en comunitats rurals andines del Perú, portats a terme per l'ONG Practical Action, els quals compten íntegrament amb EERR i models de gestió comunitaris. Per realitzar l'anàlisi d'aquests projectes en base als preceptes del DHS s'ha dissenyat una metodologia ad hoc, incorporant eines per obtenir dades relatives al context i als factors de conversió individual que afecten les capacitats de les persones, fent especial èmfasi a la component de gènere. En relació al segon objectiu, en base als resultats de les anàlisis realitzades, s'han presentat un seguit de recomanacions amb les que es poden superar les barreres i dificultats identificades perquè aquest tipus de projectes siguen veritablement catalitzadors del DHS. A més, s'ha dissenyat un model de gestió capaç de gestionar qualsevol nombre de tecnologies diferents, considerant els aprenentatges adquirits en les investigacions anteriors, el qual ha estat posat en pràctica en un projecte que incorpora 6 tipus de tecnologies simultàniament, i la sostenibilitat del qual ha demostrat ser satisfactòria. / Lillo Rodrigo, P. (2016). Acceso a la energía para el Desarrollo Humano Sostenible. Análisis de proyectos con Energías Renovables y modelos de gestión comunitarios en zonas rurales [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/68479 / TESIS / Premios Extraordinarios de tesis doctorales / Compendio