The Promise of Renewable Energy

James Goodman; Gareth Bryant; Linda Connor; Devleena Ghosh; Jonathan Paul Marshall; Tom Morton; Katja Müller; Stuart Rosewarne; Riikka Heikkinen; Lisa Lumsden; Mareike Pampus; Priya Pillai

doi:10.1017/9781009485609.002

1 - The Promise of Renewable Energy

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 June 2025

Jonathan Paul Marshall ,

Tom Morton ,

Riikka Heikkinen and

James Goodman: Affiliation:
University of Technology Sydney
Gareth Bryant: Affiliation:
University of Sydney
Linda Connor: Affiliation:
University of Sydney
Devleena Ghosh: Affiliation:
University of Technology Sydney
Jonathan Paul Marshall: Affiliation:
University of Technology Sydney
Tom Morton: Affiliation:
Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg
Katja Müller: Affiliation:
Merseburg University for Applied Sciences
Stuart Rosewarne: Affiliation:
University of Sydney
Riikka Heikkinen: Affiliation:
University of Technology Sydney
Lisa Lumsden: Affiliation:
University of Technology Sydney
Mareike Pampus: Affiliation:
Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg
Priya Pillai: Affiliation:
University of Technology Sydney

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Summary

We outline the socio-ecological appropriation of ‘nature’s free gifts’ of wind and sun for renewable energy, understood as a process of capture, which opens a new ‘frontier’ in capital-nature relations. We elaborate on the term ‘nature’s free gifts’, originally derived from Marx, and its use in Marxist approaches to ecology and social theory as documented by Saito (2022). Second, we highlight the process of securing a spatial, temporal, and social ‘fix’ for large-scale renewables, to enable accumulation, and as an emerging aspect of rivalry between region-level authorities and developers to reap the rewards of the renewable energy transition. Third, we focus on the social relations of renewable accumulation, encompassing state authorities, corporates, workers, landowners, and communities, engaged in a contest to define models for renewable transition and lay claim to ‘nature’s free gifts’. These three strands are used to develop a conceptual model to interpret the social legitimacy of renewable transition and to guide the comparative analysis.

Keywords

renewable energy ecological appropriation capital accumulation state regulation climate ethnography

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Type: Chapter
Information: Decarbonising Electricity
The Promise of Renewable Energy Regions
, pp. 19 - 52

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009485609.002 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2025

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