Social enterprise and renewable energy: emerging initiatives and communities of practice

被引:60
作者
van der Horst, Dan [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Birmingham, Sch Geog Earth & Environm Sci, Birmingham, W Midlands, England
关键词
Renewable energy; Experiential learning; Communities; United Kingdom;
D O I
10.1108/17508610810922686
中图分类号
F [经济];
学科分类号
02 ;
摘要
Purpose - After years of attempting to develop renewable energy (RE) mainly through large private sector initiatives, the UK government has broadened its approach to provide more support for other actors in this sector. The purpose of this paper is to assess what role social enterprise (SE) activities can play in the development of the RE sector in the UK. Design/methodology/approach - The approach consists of an initial effort tomap the sector in terms of project types; and to assess the benefit of supporting SEactivities inREthrough anempirical case study. Two types of SE-RE initiatives are examined here, namely a Scottish SE-RE consultancy (the Highlands and Islands Renewable Energy Company - HICEC) and the various SEs it supports in developing RE projects through grants like the Scottish Community and Household Renewables Initiative (SCHRI). Findings - A typology of enterprise activities in RE is developed, based on activities along the RE supply chain. The case study demonstrates the value of partnership working between HICEC staff and the staff of local SEs, and suggests that the emergence of a community of practice is a key benefit of the SCHRI and the collaborative way in which it was implemented by HICEC. The success of this approach does throw up questions about replicability in different geographical settings. Originality/value - This is the first paper to explore SE activities in RE. It illustrates that collaborative learning-by-doing by individuals across organisational boundaries is key for the successful implementation of RE projects that are new to the UK.
引用
收藏
页码:171 / +
页数:17
相关论文
共 15 条
[1]  
Bull M., 2008, SOC ENT RES C S BANK
[2]  
Dees J., 2006, FRAMING THEORY SOCIA
[3]   A research agenda for social entrepreneurship [J].
Haugh, Helen .
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE JOURNAL, 2005, 1 (01) :1-+
[4]   Depleted communities and community business entrepreneurship: revaluing space through place [J].
Johnstone, H ;
Lionais, D .
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, 2004, 16 (03) :217-233
[5]   Technological learning and cost reductions in wood fuel supply chains in Sweden [J].
Junginger, M ;
Faaij, A ;
Björheden, R ;
Turkenburg, WC .
BIOMASS & BIOENERGY, 2005, 29 (06) :399-418
[6]  
Kamp LM, 2004, ENERG POLICY, V32, P1625, DOI 10.1016/80301-4215(03)00134-4
[7]   Community-based energy policy: A practical approach to carbon reduction [J].
Kellett, Jon .
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT, 2007, 50 (03) :381-396
[8]  
Knight P. T., 2001, TEACH HIGH EDUC, V6, P369, DOI [https://doi.org/10.1080/13562510120061223, DOI 10.1080/13562510120061223]
[9]  
Lave J, 1991, SITUATED LEARNING LE
[10]   Business on the Margin: Local Practices and the Politics of Forests in Finland [J].
Peltola, Taru .
ETHICS POLICY & ENVIRONMENT, 2007, 10 (01) :29-47