A Community Energy Transition Model for Urban Areas: The Energy Self-Reliant Village Program in Seoul, South Korea

Abstract

While community energy initiatives are on the rise, community actions for energy transition in Asian countries have rarely been studied. While it is difficult for community energy initiatives to develop spontaneously in Seoul, there are some success stories there. This study places these successes in context. It analyzes municipal documents, including unpublished materials from municipal meetings, in order to examine how the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) created enabling conditions for promoting community energy initiatives. This study also conducted interviews to explore unsolved issues related to the Energy Self-Reliant Village (ESV) program. The SMG encouraged collective action through financial, administrative, and informational support. Also, this study found that Seoul's ESV program fostered communities by raising the sense of locality and responsibility and community spirit through various educational programs. The ESV program supported the continuity of community by providing guidelines that relieved the burden on community members. The SMG played a significant role in promoting community engagement in energy transition by affecting internal and external conditions. This study provides meaningful insights that other municipalities, especially large urban areas, can follow to foster community actions for energy transition.

Sense of Belonging and Commitment as Mediators of the Effect of Community Features on Active Involvement in the Community

“…These findings are consistent with the literature that suggests that the contribution of preliminary community features to active involvement in the community can be explained by the mediating presence of one or both of the variables of community belonging and commitment (see e.g., Palmer et al 2011;Peterson et al 2010;Shelton and Garkovich 2013). More specifically, the findings are in line with studies that show that residing in small localities increases community belonging and commitment (Gelkopf 2012;Kim 2017), and therefore the effect of size of community on active involvement is likely to be mediated by these subjective attitudes (Shelton and Garkovich 2013). Similarly, the literature indicates that community belonging and commitment are impacted by social support (Andrews 2012;Hagerty et al 1996) in a way that also enables us to understand how they mediate the effect of social support on active involvement in the community.…”

“…; Shelton and Garkovich ). More specifically, the findings are in line with studies that show that residing in small localities increases community belonging and commitment (Gelkopf ; Kim ), and therefore the effect of size of community on active involvement is likely to be mediated by these subjective attitudes (Shelton and Garkovich ). Similarly, the literature indicates that community belonging and commitment are impacted by social support (Andrews ; Hagerty et al.…”

“…Residents of small localities, especially rural ones, report high levels of community involvement (Kalkbrenner and Roosen ), a finding that may be attributed to their greater sense of obligation to contribute to their community as responsibility for it is divided among fewer citizens (Shelton and Garkovich ). Moreover, empirical findings indicate that living in a rural (as opposed to urban) community increases the shared emotional connection between the community members, as well as the sense of belonging (Kim ) and commitment (Gelkopf et al. ) to the community.…”

Putting Research to Action: Integrating Collaborative Governance and Community-Engaged Research for Community Solar

“…Community members have an important stake in how energy transitions occur; however, they do not often have much say in when, where, or how renewable energy projects are built (Catney et al 2014). Engaging communities in these processes has several potential benefits (Kim 2017). It can reflect local interests and priorities (Petersen 2016), keep economic gains from energy savings local (Magnani and Osti 2016), build community pride and cohesion (Burchell et al 2016), and help to create awareness and transparency on energy issues that may be unclear or confusing (Rogers et al 2012).…”

Community Solar Energy Programs: A Bright Spot for Just Energy Policy?

“…Community members have an important stake in how energy transitions occur; however, they do not often have much say in when, where, or how renewable energy projects are built . Engaging communities in these processes has several potential benefits (Kim 2017). It can reflect local interests and priorities (Petersen 2016), keep economic gains from energy savings local (Magnani and Osti 2016), build community pride and cohesion (Burchell et al 2016), and help to create awareness and transparency on energy issues that may be unclear or confusing .…”