The Socio-Technical Dynamics of Low-Carbon Transitions

Geels, Frank W.; Sovacool, Benjamin K.; Schwanen, Tim; Sorrell, Steve

doi:10.1016/j.joule.2017.09.018

Cited by 419 publications

(255 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…Adopting this approach to technology assessment allows the research team to explore which technologies are holding back business model change, as opposed to assessing which individual technologies require cost reductions to enter the existing market. This is critical because the entry of new business models into an established market with substantial incumbent advantage puts technological niches at a price and scale disadvantage [41]. This suggests that there is an opportunity to pursue technological trials, which focus less on individual engineering innovation and more on combining and recombining ICT and systems integration tools to enable new business models to enter the energy market.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Technology is not a Barrier: A Survey of Energy System Technologies Required for Innovative Electricity Business Models Driving the Low Carbon Energy Revolution

et al. 2019

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Energy system decarbonisation and changing consumer behaviours will create and destroy new markets in the electric power sector. This means that the energy industry will have to adapt their business models in order to capture these pools of value. Recent work explores how changes to the utility business model that include digital, decentralised or service-based offers could both disrupt the market and accelerate low carbon transitions. However, it is unclear whether these business models are technologically feasible. To answer this question, we undertook an expert panel study to determine the readiness levels of key enabling technologies. The result is an analysis of what technologies may hinder electricity business model innovation and where more research or development is necessary. The study shows that none of the business models that are compatible with a low carbon power sector are facing technology barriers that cannot be overcome, but there is still work to be done in the domain of system integration. We conclude that, especially in the field of energy system coordination and operation, there is a need for comprehensive demonstration trials which can iteratively combine and test information and communications technology (ICT) solutions. This form of innovation support would require a new approach to energy system trials.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Technology is not a Barrier: A Survey of Energy System Technologies Required for Innovative Electricity Business Models Driving the Low Carbon Energy Revolution

et al. 2019

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“…Defining characters of energy transition include a high degree of complexity, different types of uncertainties, strong vested interests, path dependencies and lock-ins, participation of different types of actors and a key role for public policy. As noted by Geels et al [30], low-carbon transitions of energy systems are contested and non-linear processes involving not only market diffusion of new technologies but also changes in user practices, cultural discourses and broader political struggles. Thus, the changes in energy technologies, practices and institutions are intertwined and co-evolving.…”

Section: Energy Transitions and Media Representationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The multi-level perspective (MLP) [30][31][32] conceptualises energy transition as an interplay between the three levels of niche, regime and landscape. Niches form the micro-level of new innovations typically developed by small networks of dedicated actors outside of the market pressures.…”

Section: Energy Transitions and Media Representationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Energy transition looming behind the headlines? Newspaper coverage of biogas production in Finland

et al. 2018

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Background: Media coverage can play an important part in energy transitions. It creates awareness of landscapelevel megatrends affecting energy systems. It influences and is influenced by public and policy agendas on a regime level. On a niche level, it can spread or screen out information and motivate or discourage actors to adopt new technologies and practices. However, relatively few studies have specifically addressed the role of media in energy transitions. Newspaper coverage of biogas is studied here as a case of media framing of a potential renewable energy solution.Methods: This article examines the long-term development of newspaper coverage of biogas in Finland. The aim of the quantitative content analysis is to draw an overall picture of the main phases of biogas coverage of a widely read newspaper focusing on agriculture and forestry, actors using discursive power in this coverage and key framings of the discussion. The results are discussed from the perspective of energy transition studies. In particular, future expectations created by the media are explored. Results: The results show a lack of newspaper coverage on biogas in the early 2000s, followed by a rapid increase and stabilisation of the volume of newspaper coverage. Biogas was most often mentioned as a secondary topic of broader discussions related to renewable energy. The core discussion focusing on biogas was characterised by very positive framings of biogas as a preferable energy solution fully compatible with the principle of circular economy. The news stories often had a strong future orientation, and examples of enthusiastic forerunners were frequently presented. However, the coverage also emphasised the poor economic profitability of biogas technologies and a need for considerable public subsidies that are inherently unpredictable.Conclusions: The future of niche-level energy technologies such as biogas can be strongly shaped by information flows, public perceptions and expectations created in part by media coverage. The analysed newspaper coverage in Finland was ambivalent from the perspective of energy transition. On the one hand, biogas production was represented as a preferable, environmentally friendly niche-level energy technology that should be encouraged. On the other hand, by emphasising the economic unviability of biogas technologies, the analysed newspaper coverage did not promote the adoption of biogas.

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“…To get a better understanding on how the energy system transition can occur, it is important to focus also on socio-technical aspects in action apart from traditional techno-economic studies [2]. Techno-economic research is often focused on finding the optimal solution, based on the optimal gains and costs, but does not consider whether this technology might be socially controversial, or that there might be conflicting values and interests between involved parties, and that existing industries most likely will try to resist to changes [2]. Socio-technical systems encompass changes in business models, institutional regulations and norms, energy user practices and technologic solutions [3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling energy production flexibility: system dynamics approach

et al. 2018

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District heating networks are commonly addressed in the literature as one of the most effective solutions for decreasing the greenhouse gas emissions from the building sector. These systems require high investments which are returned through the heat sales. Due to the changed climate conditions and building renovation policies, heat demand in the future could decrease, prolonging the investment return period. The main scope of this paper is to assess the feasibility of using the heat demand -outdoor temperature function for heat demand forecast. The district of Alvalade, located in Lisbon (Portugal), was used as a case study. The district is consisted of 665 buildings that vary in both construction period and typology. Three weather scenarios (low, medium, high) and three district renovation scenarios were developed (shallow, intermediate, deep). To estimate the error, obtained heat demand values were compared with results from a dynamic heat demand model, previously developed and validated by the authors. The results showed that when only weather change is considered, the margin of error could be acceptable for some applications (the error in annual demand was lower than 20% for all weather scenarios considered). However, after introducing renovation scenarios, the error value increased up to 59.5% (depending on the weather and renovation scenarios combination considered). The value of slope coefficient increased on average within the range of 3.8% up to 8% per decade, that corresponds to the decrease in the number of heating hours of 22-139h during the heating season (depending on the combination of weather and renovation scenarios considered). On the other hand, function intercept increased for 7.8-12.7% per decade (depending on the coupled scenarios). The values suggested could be used to modify the function parameters for the scenarios considered, and improve the accuracy of heat demand estimations. AbstractArticle shows how system dynamics modelling (SDM) approach could be used in modelling the energy transition towards low carbon energy system. SDM can be used to combine the techno-economic and socio-technical analysis. The study considers flexibility issues related to integration of renewable energy sources. Simplified model structure is made to illustrate how flexibility as well as other socio-technical aspects might be modelled. Results of the model correspond to the behavior anticipated from the model structure. Namely, model imitates effects of technological disruption which rises the limits of intermittent power production from renewable sources which can be integrated into power system. The limits are increased stepwise, as a share of intermittent power production reaches certain threshold value, resulting in sequence of S-shaped growth. This study presents flexibility increase of a power system conceptually and more detailed study should uncover leverage points which could stimulate this increase and thus, transition to sustainable energy system. AbstractArticle shows how system dynamic...

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The Socio-Technical Dynamics of Low-Carbon Transitions

Cited by 419 publications

References 57 publications

Technology is not a Barrier: A Survey of Energy System Technologies Required for Innovative Electricity Business Models Driving the Low Carbon Energy Revolution

Technology is not a Barrier: A Survey of Energy System Technologies Required for Innovative Electricity Business Models Driving the Low Carbon Energy Revolution

Energy transition looming behind the headlines? Newspaper coverage of biogas production in Finland

Modelling energy production flexibility: system dynamics approach

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