Unveiling the social transformative potential of Collective Action in Energy Transition: from energy communities towards a communalism of energy

Historically, significant energy transitions have coincided with turning points in human history, such as shifts from human to animal energy, from animal and biomass to fossil and nuclear energy, and more recently, from fossil to renewable energy due to the climate and ecological crisis. These transitions have led in the past to profound societal transformations, from hunter-gatherer societies to agrarian, manufacturing, and industrial societies, influencing the establishment of capitalist regimes and modern liberal democracies. The current energy transition however seems not so socially disrupting as one can expect. However, to underline the social change potential embodied in energy transition we develop a theoretical model of collective action linked to energy field. The article suggests that, based on the idea that energy communities can become social activators of a communalism of energy, we can envision a strategy for the reappropriation of energy as a common good and for a radical change of societal organization of energy, more horizontal, inclusive, equal and capable of reproducing new forms of energy citizenship.