Socialism and Electricity: Renewables and Decentralisation Versus Nuclear

Pirani, Simon

Abstract

A socialist energy supply system should be based on centralised electricity generation, primarily from nuclear power, Matthew Huber and Fred Stafford argue. They propose only a minor role for wind and solar, and see decentralised renewables as unworthy of support. Huber further contends that neoliberalism fostered decentralised renewables, while undermining centralised generation, and socialists seduced by “green” thinking have unwittingly become neoliberalism's allies. In this response, I propose that nuclear power has been opposed by socialists for good reasons: it requires a strong state, and is inherently linked to the military. The trend towards decentralisation of electricity networks has been underway for decades; claims that it is at odds with public ownership or socialist principles are unfounded. Portraying renewables as a burden on existing networks is misleading. Instead, we need discussion of whether, and how, socialism can challenge capital's control of these electricity technologies, including decentralised renewables, and turn them to our advantage. The potential of decentralised networks to enhance forms of common ownership and decommodification needs to be tested. Claims that renewables are, by comparison to nuclear, inherently inimical to labour organisation or public ownership, or that they are historically underpinned by neoliberal ideology, are baseless.

Citation

Pirani, S. (online). Socialism and Electricity: Renewables and Decentralisation Versus Nuclear. Capitalism Nature Socialism, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/10455752.2024.2384789

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 23, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Aug 2, 2024
• Deposit Date: Aug 20, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 20, 2024
• Journal: Capitalism Nature Socialism
• Print ISSN: 1045-5752
• Electronic ISSN: 1548-3290
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Pages: 1-16
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10455752.2024.2384789
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2762645