Towards More Community and Less Consumption? Democratic and Sufficiency-Oriented Practices in an Energy Community. The Case of Energía Bonita in La Palma, Canary Islands.

Sammanfattning

Motivated by the democratic and environmental shortcomings of traditional energy governance models, this research investigates how democratic governance within an energy community (EC) influences members orientations and practices towards energy sufficiency. This study conducted an in-depth case study of the island-based cooperative Energía Bonita in La Palma, Canary Islands. Responding to critiques that technological and market-driven transitions insufficiently address socio-ecological crises, the study examines whether EC can foster energy sufficiency practices among EC members by redistributing ownership of renewable energy sources and embedding decision-making at the local level. This research explores the mechanisms linking democratic and sufficiency-oriented practices focusing on participation and shared decision-making, identity formation, empowerment, and collective norm, elements derived from the literature. A qualitative research design was employed, drawing on semi-structured interviews with thirteen EC members, complementary document analysis, and direct observations. Findings demonstrate that democratic governance repoliticises energy by reframing energy consumption as a collective rather than individual concern. Participation fosters ongoing social learning, strengthens members’ sense of belonging, and cultivates multiple identities of consumers, co-owners, and energy citizens. These processes generate shared norms of responsibility, mutual accountability, and solidarity, which in turn support voluntary reductions in household energy use. The study concludes that democratic governance influences sufficiency-oriented practices by embedding energy use within social relations, collective deliberation, and shared norms. This study contributes to the research on degrowth and ECs by demonstrating that energy sufficiency is shaped by socio-institutional transformation rooted in democratic participation.