Energy Cooperatives and Communities in the Just Transition: Work Organization and Structural Contradictions in Italy.

The paper addresses the emerging contradictions between energy markets and systems, on the one hand, and decentralisation processes in energy governance, on the other. It focuses on the organisational aspects of work in the sector of renewable energy cooperatives and communities in Italy. In general terms, the transition to a renewable energy system is believed to be contingent upon the advent of decentralised, democratic energy models in which energy cooperatives and communities represent a promising alternative to the previous centralised models, advocating for local production and consumption from renewable sources. Nevertheless, in Italy the growth of these initiatives and energy decentralisation itself is constrained by the complex nature of the energy infrastructure and markets. In this regard, the organisational processes of energy cooperatives are typically dependent on the influence of major energy corporations, which hold an oligopoly position. Thus, energy cooperatives are at risk of being either absorbed or influenced by larger companies, which could ultimately compromise their capacity to facilitate a democratic and just transition

With regard to Renewable Energy Communities (RECs), the advent of this innovation has resulted in a notable increase in the number of start-ups and companies seeking to assume control of all aspects of their development. These companies act as intermediaries between the energy market and RECs, aiming to achieve economic and technical efficiency. In this context, there is a broader trend among innovators in this sector to view citizens engagement as an unnecessary and time-consuming factor in the success of decentralised energy configurations.

This study has two main objectives: first, to identify the complex balance between autonomy and dependence of cooperatives and communities on established energy actors, as evidenced by an analysis of several case studies in Italy. Second, it aspires to offer insights that can inform the design of a just (energy) transition.