Abstract

Access to clean energy is a development imperative, particularly for the estimated 3.5 billion people globally residing in off-grid settings who lack reliable electricity access. As the energy sector faces increasing climate change impacts, and these communities emerge as particularly vulnerable, developing locally sourced, clean, and renewable energy systems becomes crucial for sustaining life on ancestral lands. While renewable energy systems can play essential roles in supporting sustainable livelihoods and building climate resilience in these communities, their successful implementation remains challenging. This paper presents the first bibliometric analysis of peer-reviewed literature, industry and government studies examining established foundations—including frameworks, models, theories, and concepts—relevant to community-scale infrastructure and natural resource management. Analysis of practical case studies from 37 countries reveals a significant gap in addressing socio-cultural dimensions, with only 30% of studies considering these factors in their examination of barriers and enablers, despite the dominance of socio-technical and socio-economic considerations. This global analysis establishes benchmarks for implementing renewable energy systems in off-grid communities. As the first stage of a doctoral research project, this review aims to identify empirically based approaches and develop context-specific, culturally appropriate strategies for implementing renewable energy systems that enhance community resilience to climate change.