ABSTRACT

Fifty years ago, the alternative technology movement was actively making its case for ‘softer’ technologies. Today this alternative energy momentum has been most directly embraced by the contemporary community renewable energy movement. Yet there are important differences. Many of today’s entrepreneurial community actors utilise a wide range of market tools to devise innovative energy businesses for their communities. While these changes are not unexpected given the significant passage of time, what interests us here are the broader paradigmatic drivers of these changes. A comparative consideration of these two movements helps us to do this. The different historical contexts are important explanatory factors. But other interrelated drivers also play an important part. This paper focuses on two: generational changes in the field of technology and generational changes in the field of ideas. The first considers the socio-political possibilities enabled by extensive technological innovation; the second the influence of ecological modernisation ideas at both the institutional and civil society level. Overall, we find generational continuity in the values and goals that drive alternative energy actors, but significant differences in the ideas and practices to achieve them.

摘要

五十年前，替代技术运动正在积极地为“软”技术辩护。今天，这种替代能源势头最直接地被当代社区可再生能源运动所接受。然而，存在重要差异。今天的许多创业社区参与者利用广泛的市场工具为他们的社区设计创新的能源业务。尽管随着时间的流逝，这些变化并不出人意料，但我们在这里感兴趣的是这些变化的更广泛的范式驱动因素。对这两种运动的比较考虑有助于我们做到这一点。不同的历史背景是重要的解释因素。但其他相互关联的驱动因素也发挥着重要作用。本文重点介绍两个：技术领域的代际变化和思想领域的代际变化。第一个考虑广泛的技术创新带来的社会政治可能性；第二，生态现代化思想在制度和公民社会层面的影响。总体而言，我们发现推动替代能源参与者的价值观和目标具有代际连续性，但实现这些目标的想法和实践存在显着差异。