Are Low-Carbon Futures Decentralised? The Governance of Collective Electricity Systems

This insightful book examines the role of the electric grid and cognate infrastructures in driving the low-carbon transition, addressing the key question: are low-carbon futures decentralised?

Featuring chapters by renowned international experts, the book explores decentralisation as both a governance manoeuvre and infrastructural innovation, reflecting on the relationship between emergent data infrastructures and electricity systems. It sheds light on how the governance of collective electricity systems is changing in favour of rapid low-carbon electrification, providing insights into transition tensions and electrical outages across diverse contexts. Chapters discuss the concept of building structurally variable power systems and illustrate how distributed energy will affect existing power supplies, showcasing how institutional technologies are designed for decentralised energy governance. They also evaluate decentralisation versus centralisation in the electricity sector, demonstrating the transformative impact of distributed energy systems on polycentric grids.

Are Low-Carbon Futures Decentralised? is an essential resource for students and academics in energy, geography, economics, governance and transitions. Its practical insights into sustainable development will greatly benefit geographers, political scientists and development researchers.