CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2025
| Author | Guvercin, Ecem |
|---|---|
| Title | Social Value Creation in Decentralized Energy Models: A Case from Vienna |
| Summary | Transition towards renewable energy is a holistic process: It requires the cooperation of the public sector, industries, research centers, and households. Active participation of households in the renewable energy transition is crucial to prevent energy vulnerability and to increase energy efficiency. Increasing the number of alternatives in energy supply for the households could contribute to reducing energy poverty. Decentralization of energy systems makes the energy systems more complex, but also involves people directly in the energy trade. This study explores how to make decentralized energy systems more accessible to all the socioeconomic backgrounds. The thesis analyzes the market dynamics and business models of decentralized energy systems, how energy costs are being perceived by households, and what influences people to join an energy community. Furthermore, the study focuses on Turkish communities in Vienna as a case study to understand the intersection of social, cultural, and economic factors in energy transition. The results of the thesis indicate that districts with low income inequality and high CO2 emissions per capita would more likely prefer to join an energy community. Similarly, energy communities have long-term benefits for a just energy policy and decarbonization. However, the study concludes that the short-term challenges should be addressed while increasing public awareness for energy communities to make decentralized energy systems an alternative to preexisting energy systems. |
| Supervisor | LaBelle, Michael |
| Department | Environment Sciences and Policy MSc |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2025/guvercin_ecem.pdf |
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