Commons Wealth: Integrative Design Catalyzing Community Solar from Uni, to Muni, to State

• In Event: Exploring Approaches to Catalyzing Transdisciplinary Engagement

Abstract

Solar power development in diverse communities is not slowed by a dearth of resource (sunshine), or impending breakthrough of technology (photovoltaics). The challenge is cultivating human capital, social capital, and rooting trust among stakeholders. Planning for coupled solar solutions to food-water-energy problems (e.g. solar ecology) is an STS challenge, amplified when solar projects engage a collection of participants without joint intention. We seek transdisciplinary, translational practices that align collectives of stakeholders toward formation of jointly intentional group agency and regenerative solutions. Community-led solar fits the framework of common pool resources (CPR): goods are challenging to exclude (sunshine), and goods are subtractable (electricity). However, CPR system creation can be hobbled by instinctive non-cooperative behavior (low communication, inability to sanction rule-breakers). Nobody wishes to be the "sucker" in the case of a failure of trust, particularly among diverse experts and non-experts. But non-cooperative strategies are grossly inefficient for managing CPRs. We present a practiced process to catalyze the on-boarding of diverse stakeholders for community solar CPRs. Approaching solar development with finite cooperative games, a series of interactive workshops, has demonstrated the potential to catalyze community solar (e.g. initiate larger projects in less time), optimize solar utility, and reduce risk among stakeholders. This repeated, facilitated process puts high value in stakeholder identity, merges expert with local voice, and embraces pride in place. The cooperative project approached a Pareto optimum for stakeholders pursuing solar options. The preferred outcome would not have been obtained (in a reasonable time frame) without the third-party facilitating the cooperative games.

Author

• Jeffrey R. S. Brownson, Penn State University