Energy Democracy as a Frame for Teaching Energy-System Transformation

Energy democracy is a growing conceptual framing that recognizes opportunities for redistributing power, literally and figuratively, through transformative social change as society moves away from fossil-fuel reliance toward a renewable-based future. For educators, energy democracy provides a powerful, accessible, and inclusive framework to engage with the complexities of energy-system change and to empower students to contribute to collective action to shape and accelerate energy-system transformation. Energy democracy acknowledges that the societal benefits of renewable-energy transformation go well beyond decarbonization; a renewable society could also be a healthier, more economically just society. This chapter provides specific guidance and suggestions on how educators can structure energy education through the frame of energy democracy. Integrating systemic change processes and sociopolitical innovation as well as technological innovation into teaching and learning about energy expands the reach and impact of climate and energy education. An energy democracy framework will be useful to educators who are interested in engaging with the climate crisis by building transformative capacity in the context of local and regional energy systems.