Decentralisation and inclusivity in the energy sector: Preconditions, impacts and avenues for further research

This editorial for the Special Issue entitled ‘Energy Decentralisation – Institutional Perspectives’ in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews contrasts compares thirteen research review articles submitted over last year, each with a specific regional or thematic focus. The contributions examine decentralisation, its impacts and/or institutional preconditions United States, Sweden, UK, Denmark, South Africa, Germany, France, Japan, Netherlands, Australia, include three international reviews. Embedding findings from this work wider literature on decentralisation inclusivity, we identify key avenues further research. Our begins an overview of how energy is conceptualised policy, identifying logics used by proponents opponents across literature. We ways which structural settings have influenced prevalence narratives furthered stakeholders different interests worldviews, resulting radically policy decisions, support frameworks incentive structures at national scales. Building these findings, our concluding discussion reflects factors that influence social consensus on, effective implementation of, ambitious inclusive policy. focus has become yet more relevant as governments around world are forced to marry multiple crises fiscal spending decisions; where significant economic packages need buffer socio-economic COVID19 short medium term, simultaneously facilitate investment infrastructure, technology competencies will enable decarbonisation economy.