Guiding the renewable energy transition in developing countries : towards an integrated model of providing renewable energy in low income housing in Egypt
This study investigates whether and how empowering urban low-income communities, through community renewable energy (RE) initiatives, can be a way to achieve a just RE transition that would address energy poverty in developing countries. Previous research has explored different ways of integrating RE into low-income housing to address energy poverty; however, the focus has largely been on developed countries and rural areas in developing countries. Less attention has been paid to residents of urban subsidised low-income housing (SLH) projects in the context of the developing world. This study addresses this gap by investigating the barriers and opportunities for achieving a just RE transition to address energy poverty in urban low-income housing in developing countries, by taking Egypt as a case study. The study builds on conceptualisations of (socio-technical) transition pathways of new innovations emerging in a niche space to develop a framework that explores the potential for the development of a community RE niche in developing countries. The study also outlines possible models of community RE initiatives in SLH projects that could be followed in Egypt. In the case-study of Egypt, the data were collected using a mixed methods design, including documentary research, household surveys, semi-structured interviews with national stakeholders and workshops within three case studies of new urban SLH projects. The findings suggest that Egypt is undergoing an RE transition led by large-scale technological niche development, while a civil society niche is yet to emerge within the energy domain. The findings show that socio-cultural and regulatory constraints, are the main barriers to the emergence of a community RE niche in Egypt. There is also evidence to show that residents of SLH projects suffer from energy poverty; however, residents are receptive to community RE initiatives. The study concludes that, in a developing context such as in Egypt, the government’s role needs to change from providing direct energy subsidies to facilitating community RE niche experiences by encouraging learning, introducing incentives and building human and institutional capacity. This study, therefore, develops a conceptual framework to define an original contribution to debates on how the community RE niche can emerge in a developing context. The study also contributes by giving a voice to unrepresented communities, allowing them to recommend measures needed to encourage their empowerment in the energy dialogue and to choose the model of community RE initiative that can promote a just RE transition in this context.
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