Alternative Information and Development Centre (AIDC)

A major component of social ownership is the social ownership of the means of production. This article is focused on social ownership of renewable energy in South Africa. The author explains more about what social ownership is not, which is a pre-requisite to understanding what it could and should be.

Key Findings/Recommendations: The idea of social ownership of energy is being neglected in South Africa considering that out of many major Acts, amendments, policies and plans done on climate change and energy matters, the most likely candidate for promoting some sort of social ownership would seem to be the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (Sarem). South Africa must learn from European failures to transition to social ownership of energy. German and Denmark could be countries from which South Africa could learn about social or community ownership of RE.

Read online: https://aidc.org.za/just-transition-op-ed-social-ownership-of-renewable-energy-searching-for-the-deck-chairs-long-after-the-titanic-has-sunk/