How do bureaucrats change light bulbs? The institutional constraints of energy poverty alleviation programs in Taiwan

• In Event: 50620 - Section on Environmental Sociology Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 15: Governing Energy and Carbon Emissions

Abstract

Since 2018, the Taiwan government has implemented “energy-vulnerable care measures”, which focus on replacing inefficient appliances to alleviate energy poverty. This paper examines the origin and implementation of these energy poverty alleviation programs. Through analyzing policy documents and semi-structured interviews with 35 bureaucrats and stakeholders, we explore how local governments identify energy-vulnerable populations and design suitable interventions. Our research revealed that the logic of energy conservation constrained the development of those supportive programs. There is a tendency to replicate familiar, easy-to-implement measures, such as light bulb replacements, even when they may not fully address local needs. In addition, fragmented governance, poor inter-bureau coordination, and high staff turnover further pose challenges to effective implementation. Within this situation, overwhelmed bureaucrats, who often lack the necessary expertise, thus tend to depend heavily on contractors. This study calls for improving local energy governance capacity and integrating energy poverty policies into broader social welfare frameworks.

Authors

• John Chung-En Liu, National Taiwan University

• Yu-Hsien Chen