A functional approach to decentralization in the electricity sector: learning from community choice aggregation in California

5Citations
Citations of this article
37Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

This article is free to access.

Abstract

Decentralization of the electricity sector has mainly been studied in relation to its infrastructural aspect, particularly location and size of the generation units, and only recently more attention has been paid to the governance aspects. This article examines power sector (de)centralization operationalized along three functional dimensions: political, administrative and economic. We apply this framework to empirically assess the changes in California’s electricity market, which saw the emergence of institutional innovation in the form of community choice aggregation (CCA). Unpacking the Californian case illustrates how decision-making has moved from central state government and regulators to the municipal level in uneven ways and without decentralized generation keeping pace. We also explore the impacts this multidimensional and diversified decentralization has on the ultimate goals of energy transition: decarbonization and energy security. Our framework and empirical findings challenge the conventional view on decentralization and problematize the widespread assumptions of its positive influence on climate mitigation and grid stability.

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Dokk Smith, I., Kirkegaard, J. K., & Szulecki, K. (2023). A functional approach to decentralization in the electricity sector: learning from community choice aggregation in California. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 66(6), 1305–1335. https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2022.2027233

Readers' Seniority

Tooltip

PhD / Post grad / Masters / Doc 10

83%

Researcher 2

17%

Readers' Discipline

Tooltip

Social Sciences 6

60%

Environmental Science 3

30%

Engineering 1

10%

Article Metrics

Tooltip
Mentions
News Mentions: 1

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free