Community energy projects, actively governed and managed by community members, play an essential role in advancing just energy transitions, for example, by providing energy in remote areas, facilitating the adoption of renewable technologies and building resilient electricity networks. However, their adoption remains limited. How does community energy work in practice, and how can it become more widespread?
Vanesa Castán Broto from the University of Sheffield and colleagues from various universities in Africa have published a new open-access article in npj Clean Energy titled "The role of community energy in mediating sustainable energy transitions in East and Southern Eastern Africa."
The study explores community energy in three countries: Ethiopia, Malawi and Mozambique. A mixed-methods analysis (project inventories, qualitative interviews, surveys) suggests that the political economy of development and material challenges, such as financing and supply chains, constrain the expansion of community energy.
A survey of community energy beneficiaries demonstrates the tangible benefits these projects bring to disadvantaged communities. Concessional grants that recognize the social value of community energy can facilitate its development and support new energy models for a just energy transition.
More information
Vanesa Castán Broto et al, The role of community energy in mediating sustainable energy transitions in East and Southern Eastern Africa, npj Clean Energy (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s44406-026-00024-w
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Citation: The role of community energy in mediating the sustainable energy transition (2026, July 29) retrieved 30 July 2026 from https://phys.org/news/2026-07-role-community-energy-sustainable-transition.html
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