Sharing Urban Renewable Energy Generation Systems as Private Energy Commons

Abstract

This study tested a new methodology for simulating shared electricity generation among small groups of neighbours with Ostrom (1994) principles of common pool resource (CPR) (human behaviour-based) efficiencies. The approach does not not anticipate exclusive off-grid communities but instead, diverse energy users taking advantage of the averaging effects of aggregation, the social benefits of a CPR and direct action on emissions. The study tested three groups of 5 adjacent- or same-building- neighbours for three months to measure how electricity demand (import) is affected by an in-home display issuing nudges and sanctions by the group around a simulated (limited capacity) shared solar and ba..