Towards Just Energy Transitions in Rural Areas: Building a Participatory Energy Scenario in a Community of Michoacán, Mexico

Jul 10, 2026

Uploaded by Theodora

The article develops a mixed-methods, community-participatory energy scenario for a rural Mexican community in Michoacán, combining two household surveys with three workshops. Cultural habits shape uptake of thermal and electric household technologies targeting indoor air pollutant and GHG reductions. A baseline scenario up to 2050 is compared with an alternative scenario reflecting locally preferred technologies and resources. Results indicate 92% thermal energy demand driven by firewood, with 2050 energy use down 8%, firewood use down 36%, GHG down 31%, PM2.5 down 34%, and CO down 25%, while LED lighting can cut lighting electricity needs by 87%.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Methods and participatory scenario building

Scenario comparison and energy/emissions results

Implications for just energy transitions

Energy Research & Social Science 138 (2026) 104790 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Energy Research & Social Science journal [homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/erss](homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/erss) | Original research article
Towards just energy transitions in rural areas: Building a participatory energy scenario in a community of Michoac´an, Mexico | | | | --- | --- | --- | | Genice K. Grande-Acosta a,b, Guadalupe P´erez-Morales b, Jorge M. Islas-Samperioa,b,*, [Ma. de](Ma. de) Jesús P´erez-Orozcoa, Fabio L. Manzinia
a Instituto de Energías Renovables, Universidad Nacional Aut´onoma de M´exico, Priv. Xochicalco s/n, Col. Centro, Temixco, Morelos, 62580, Mexico b Secretaría de Energía, Av. Insurgentes 20, Col. Roma Norte, Cuauht´emoc, M´exico City, 06700, Mexico | | | | A R T I C L E I N F O
Keywords:
Participatory energy planning
Efficient and renewable energy technologies Rural communities
Just energy transition
Energy prospective
Participatory scenarios | A B S T R A C T
This article applies a mixed-methods methodology that seeks community involvement. It includes two household surveys and three workshops conducted in a Mexican rural community. The study examines the influence of cultural habits on the uptake of household technologies-thermal and electric-that reduce indoor air pollutants and GHG emissions. In this study, a baseline scenario up to 2050 is constructed using information collected through community participation in surveys and workshops. In addition, an alternative scenario is constructed considering the technologies and energy resources preferred by the population to meet their needs. Survey results show that thermal energy accounts for 92% of the communities' total energy needs, using firewood as their primary fuel. The comparison between the two scenarios shows that, by 2050, total energy consumption could be reduced by 8%, underscoring a 36% decrease in firewood use through the adoption of improved firewood cookstoves and solar water heaters. GHG emissions are reduced by 31%, while PM2.5 and CO decrease by 34% and 25%, respectively. The alternative scenario shows that, to meet their energy needs, some users require of additional equipment. However, as these devices are efficient, electricity consumption growth is lower, particularly through replacing all current incandescent and fluorescent lights with LED technology, which can achieve an 87% reduction in lighting electricity consumption. The findings confirm that planning with community participation allows the design of culturally relevant and environmentally effective energy transitions, offering areplicable model for sustainable development that contributes to a just energy transition in similar rural contexts. | | 1. Introduction Energy systems vary across countries in terms of sources and infrastructure; however, fossil fuels remain dominant, accounting for 79% of global energy consumption [1]. The persistent use of fossil fuels as a critical energy source, has led to irreversible effects in our climate, mainly due to their GHG emissions. To avoid exacerbating the dire effects of climate change, particularly on vulnerable groups [2–4] an energy transition agenda towards cleaner, low-carbon energy systems emerged [5]. This energy transition entails technological changes and profound transformations in the social, economic, and regulatory systems of the energy sector. However, this change also comes with regional and economic development disparities [6,7] where developing countries, especially rural and indigenous communities, are more likely to experience energy poverty [8,9] due to segregation and exclusionary practices [10–12]. The energy transition is currently conceived as the progressive replacement of fossil fuels with renewable and clean energy sources, aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate change, reducing global warming, and securing a sustainable future for present and futu

FAQs

What methodology does the study use to build the energy scenarios?

It uses a mixed-methods approach with two household surveys and three community workshops to co-produce scenarios with community input.

How dominant is thermal energy in the community’s energy needs?

Thermal energy accounts for 92% of total community energy needs, with firewood as the primary fuel.

What environmental and health-related emissions improvements are reported by 2050?

Compared with the baseline, GHG emissions decrease by 31%, PM2.5 decreases by 34%, and CO decreases by 25% by 2050.

Jul 10, 2026

Uploaded by Theodora