Are microgrids an opportunity to trigger changes in small insular territories toward more community-based lifestyles?

Abstract

Small islands are fragile and dependent territories in many sectors, especially energy. Hence, renewable energy microgrids (MGs) can offer an opportunity for environmentally sustainable energy supply but also a driver for new development strategies in these territories. This paper aims to analyse the role that MGs can play in insular spaces for the achievement of more sustainable communities. Initially, MGs played a crucial role in ensuring energy supply in spaces characterised by a difficult supply. However, with technological improvements in both generation and storage, as well as institutional and legislative changes, MGs can play a fundamental role in achieving more socially cohesive and environmentally sustainable spaces beyond their role as energy suppliers. We discuss three main topics after a meta-analysis of 18 MGs, both on-grid and off-grid, located in insular spaces: 1) the characteristics of MGs built in insular territories in the last 25 years; 2) MGs influence islanders’ well-being and lifestyle; and 3) how MGs can encourage responsible consumption and promote postgrowth strategies. Thus, this paper explores the role that MGs have played in the past and present and what role they could play in the future of small island spaces. It might be concluded that MGs are a key factor in the development of more sustainable societies. However, they must be accompanied by changes in our economies, societies and lifestyles in a direction other than the pursuit of economic growth traditionally understood as a limitless increase in con sumption and production.