Search

This review explores the social impacts of electricity production by applying the framework of Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA). The authors adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines to select studies that were published post-2010 and used S-LCA in the context of various electricity sources, including bioelectricity, solar, wind, and hydropower. The search yielded 13 eligible studies that employed both generic and site-specific assessment strategies, primarily relying on the Social Hotspot Database and Product Social Impact Life Cycle Assessment database for generic evaluations. The findings emphasize the Workers stakeholder as the most frequently examined, with significant attention also given to the Local Community, Society, Value Chain Actors, and Consumer stakeholders when social databases are employed. The studies primarily assessed socioeconomic impact subcategories related to labor practices, health and safety, and economic contributions, as well as a tailored set of self-developed social impacts and indicators specific to the energy sources and geographical contexts examined. This review demonstrates the crucial role of S-LCA in revealing the socio-economic impacts of electricity generation and the need to consider the impacts on Local Community and Society stakeholders through site-specific assessments. Such insights are crucial for guiding policy reforms and industry practices towards more socially responsible energy production.

Renewable energy communities (RECs) are alternatives toward sustainable production and consumption pathways. In 2020, Italy implemented the EU Directive 2018/2001, defining a common framework for promoting energy from renewable sources. The “Famiglia di Maria”, a foundation dealing with social issues in San Giovanni a Teduccio, Napoli (Italy), in collaboration with “Legambiente” and “Con il Sud” Foundations, released the first Solidarity Oriented Renewable Energy Community project in Italy. Therefore, by applying social life cycle assessment (s-LCA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies, this study aims to: (i) promote the dissemination of RECs in the Italian and European contexts, (ii) suggest REC scenarios for the best social and environmental solutions, and (iii) support the policymakers for sustainable local development. Some key results show that the solidarity-oriented project has already produced mature outcomes about community cohesion. In contrast, technical skills and awareness about environmental issues still need to be further developed and shared among the stakeholders. Finally, social and environmental indicators converge on the self-consumption model as a feasible alternative for energy justice, community empowerment, and economic and market competition independence.