Empower the Yukon: Using Community Renewable Energy in the Transition to Energy Resilience

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License

Creative Commons Licence

Creator(s)

Contributors

Contributed date

June 14, 2020 - 7:36pm

Critical Commentary

This article in particular examines how those in the Canadian province of Yukon are attempting to combat energy vulnerability (through explicit creation of energy resilience; or, in their words, "the ability (of the system) to prepare for and adapt to changing conditions, and withstand and recover rapidly from disruptions") moving into the energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Due to the socioeconomic position of the Yukon (generally isolated, low population, relatively low economic action), they are potentially more energy and environmentally vulnerable in the industrial shift of powers. That being the case, there's particular interest in their region to make the shift; though as they point out, "the symbiosis between energy security requirements and fossil fuels is beginning to corrode due to the lack of availability, affordability, and resilience"; meaning that the transition is already naturally becoming easier due to the emerging nature of renewable energy technologies. This is also made easier due to the Yukon's "social economy"; they're influenced by labor-based wages, traditional indigenous subsistence acts, a history of large-scale resource exploitation, and strong state-driven cultural significance. Group cooperation in these extreme climates and generally difficult-to-live situations is inherently imperative in their day-to-day life, meaning that their sense of community is already stronger (and more willing to do large-scale projects) than ohter community examples. Social economic organizations like CREs coincide with traditionally structured organizations, meaning that potential structures to glean info from are already existent in the cultural mindframe. While the article actually concluded that the nature of their social enterprise isn't entirely conducive towards renewable energy generation, primary worth of this article is derived from their discussion of community as a unit - those that are already more cohesive or involved are more liable to find success in the CRE sector, and organizations situated in other community-driven facets will likely find more success than their more disparate counterparts.

Source

Furlong, K. (2020). EmPower the Yukon. Using Community Renewable Energy in the Transition to Energy Resilience: A Social Enterprise Approach. Northern Review49, 219–256. https://doi-org.ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/10.22584/nr49.2020.016

Group Audience

  • - Private group -

Cite as

Furlong and Karen, "Empower the Yukon: Using Community Renewable Energy in the Transition to Energy Resilience", contributed by Cam LaPorte, The Energy Rights Project, Platform for Experimental Collaborative Ethnography, last modified 14 June 2020, accessed 5 November 2024. https://energyrights.info/content/empower-yukon-using-community-renewable-energy-transition-energy-resilience