Home » Community Ownership in Large-Scale Renewable Energy – A Global South Perspective
JustRE Alliance

Community Ownership in Large-Scale Renewable Energy – A Global South Perspective

Community Ownership in Large-Scale renewable energy, rarmer in photovoltaic panels by Nexa - AdobeStock

Overview

As large-scale renewable energy (RE) expands globally, questions of justice, equity, and local participation are increasingly urgent. In particular, community ownership offers a pathway to ensure that energy transitions are not only low carbon but also inclusive and democratically governed. Through this project, JustRE Alliance seeks to deepen the understanding and visibility of community ownership models in large-scale RE, especially from the perspective of communities and practitioners in the Global South.

Community ownership in renewable energy is not just a governance model; it’s a mechanism to align the interests of affected communities with the rapid deployment of RE infrastructure. Also to ensure fair distribution of benefits, accountability, and long-term resilience.

Over the next 12 months, we will develop and share critical knowledge products, host collaborative spaces, and amplify real-world examples of community-driven renewable energy initiatives.

Objective

Support civil society with tools, evidence, and networks to advocate for and implement community ownership models while also providing clear guidance for policymakers and industry. Through real-world case stories and a global Community of Practice, the project encourages collaboration, learning, and the scaling of community ownership in large-scale renewable energy in the Global South.

Four key activities

Comprehensive review of community ownership models in large-scale renewable energy projects. Exploring experiences from the Global South while also learning from benchmark countries such as Belgium, Canada, Nepal, Scotland, and South Africa. Synthesis of findings into a taxonomy of models, key principles, and analysis of challenges and gaps.

Define the enabling conditions for implementing community ownership at scale. These include policy frameworks, governance structures, financing strategies, and technology-specific pathways.

A collection of success stories that showcase how communities in the Global South have taken ownership in large-scale renewable energy projects. These stories will highlight enablers, lessons learned, and the local transformations made possible through community-led or co-owned energy systems.

Establish a global Community of Practice for civil society organisations, practitioners, and allies working on community ownership in large-scale RE. This space will facilitate ongoing peer learning, coordination, and collective action, with participation from the Global South and North.

Expected Outcomes

White paper on community ownership models in large-scale renewable energy projects.

Policy and industry briefs on enabling conditions.

Developing an inspiring anthology of engaging, and accessible case stories.

Initial facilitated community of practice sessions for cross-regional collaboration.