Towards just energy transitions in rural areas: Building a participatory energy scenario in a community of Michoacán, Mexico

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 PM 2.5 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 a replicable model for sustainable development that contributes to a just energy transition in similar rural contexts.