IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/revpol/v37y2020i3p313-341.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Household Costs and Resistance to Germany's Energy Transition

Author

Listed:
  • Roger Karapin

Abstract

Germany is an exemplary case of an energy transition from nuclear energy and fossil fuels toward renewables in the electricity sector, but it also demonstrates repeated, increasingly successful countermobilization by energy incumbents and their allies. The course for Germany's energy transition was largely set with the adoption of a feed‐in tariff law in 1990, but since then the energy transition has been altered by a series of policy‐making episodes, each of which was shaped by the outcomes of the previous episodes; there has been a combination of reinforcing and reactive sequences. This article uses policy windows and advocacy coalition theory, supplemented by work on resistance to carbon pricing, to analyze the four periods in which opponents of the energy transition had the greatest opportunities to limit or reverse it. It makes three main arguments intended to influence future research on energy transitions: (1) episodes of opposition to the feed‐in tariff policy occurred when problem awareness and political commitment converged, (2) the outcomes of those conflicts depended on the balance of mobilization by advocacy and opposing coalitions, and (3) rising household costs due to the renewable energy surcharge drove both problem awareness and the composition of the opposing coalition, which helped lead to a more far‐reaching retrenchment of renewable energy policy in 2014 than in earlier periods. 德国电力产业从核能和化石燃料向可再生能源过渡的能源转型是一个模范案例,并且德国还证明了由能源在位者及其盟友所发起的反动员,这种反动员进行了多次,且越来越成功。德国的能源转型进程随着1990年上网电价补贴法的采纳而基本确定,但自此能源转型被一系列决策场景所改变,每一次决策都受到之前决策结果的影响;一直存在巩固和反应的场景顺序结合。本文使用政策之窗和倡导联盟理论,加上抵制碳定价的相关研究,分析了四个时期,在这四个时期中,能源转型的反对者曾有绝佳的机会对其进行限制或逆转。本文为促进未来能源转型研究提出三个主张:1)当问题意识和政治承诺相一致时,抵制上网电价补贴政策的场景便会出现;2)这些冲突的结果取决于倡导联盟和反对联盟各自发起动员(之间)的平衡;3)由可再生能源附加费引起的不断攀升的家庭支出,推动了问题意识和反对联盟的形成,这帮助导致2014年可再生能源政策开支缩减比以往时期更为影响深远。 Alemania es un caso ejemplar de una transición energética desde la energía nuclear y los combustibles fósiles hacia las energías renovables en el sector eléctrico, pero también demuestra una contramovilización repetida y cada vez más exitosa por parte de los titulares de energía y sus aliados. El curso para la transición energética de Alemania se estableció en gran medida con la adopción de una ley de tarifas de alimentación en 1990, pero desde entonces la transición energética ha sido alterada por una serie de episodios de formulación de políticas, cada uno de los cuales fue moldeado por los resultados de episodios anteriores; Ha habido una combinación de secuencias de refuerzo y reactivas. Este artículo utiliza ventanas políticas y la teoría de la coalición de defensa, complementada por el trabajo sobre la resistencia a los precios del carbono, para analizar los cuatro períodos en los que los opositores a la transición energética tuvieron las mayores oportunidades para limitarla o revertirla. Presenta tres argumentos principales destinados a influir en la investigación futura sobre las transiciones de energía: (1) episodios de oposición a la política de tarifas de alimentación ocurrieron cuando la conciencia del problema y el compromiso político convergieron, (2) los resultados de esos conflictos dependieron del equilibrio de la movilización mediante la defensa y coaliciones opuestas, y (3) el aumento de los costos de los hogares debido al recargo de energía renovable impulsó la conciencia del problema y la composición de la coalición opositora, lo que ayudó a llevar a una reducción de mayor alcance de la política de energía renovable en 2014 que en el anterior períodos.

Suggested Citation

  • Roger Karapin, 2020. "Household Costs and Resistance to Germany's Energy Transition," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 37(3), pages 313-341, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:revpol:v:37:y:2020:i:3:p:313-341
    DOI: 10.1111/ropr.12371
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/ropr.12371
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/ropr.12371?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Strunz, Sebastian & Gawel, Erik & Lehmann, Paul, 2016. "The political economy of renewable energy policies in Germany and the EU," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 33-41.
    2. Christoph H. Stefes, 2020. "Opposing Energy Transitions: Modeling the Contested Nature of Energy Transitions in the Electricity Sector," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 37(3), pages 292-312, May.
    3. Breetz, Hanna & Mildenberger, Matto & Stokes, Leah, 2018. "The political logics of clean energy transitions," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(4), pages 492-522, December.
    4. Farley, Joshua & Baker, Daniel & Batker, David & Koliba, Christopher & Matteson, Richard & Mills, Russell & Pittman, James, 2007. "Opening the policy window for ecological economics: Katrina as a focusing event," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(2-3), pages 344-354, August.
    5. Roger Karapin, 2020. "The Political Viability of Carbon Pricing: Policy Design and Framing in British Columbia and California," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 37(2), pages 140-173, March.
    6. Laaser, Claus-Friedrich & Rosenschon, Astrid, 2018. "Kieler Subventionsbericht und die Kieler Subventionsampel: Finanzhilfen des Bundes und Steuervergünstigungen bis 2017 - eine Aktualisierung," Kieler Beiträge zur Wirtschaftspolitik 14, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    7. Laird, Frank N. & Stefes, Christoph, 2009. "The diverging paths of German and United States policies for renewable energy: Sources of difference," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(7), pages 2619-2629, July.
    8. James Meadowcroft, 2009. "What about the politics? Sustainable development, transition management, and long term energy transitions," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 42(4), pages 323-340, November.
    9. Jonas Meckling, 2019. "Governing renewables: Policy feedback in a global energy transition," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 37(2), pages 317-338, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Naimeh Mohammadi & Mohammad M. Khabbazan, 2022. "The Influential Mechanisms of Power Actor Groups on Policy Mix Adoption: Lessons Learned from Feed-In Tariffs in the Renewable Energy Transition in Iran and Germany," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-27, March.
    2. Beckmann, Jonas & Klöckner, Kai & Letmathe, Peter, 2024. "Scenario-based multi-criteria evaluation of sector coupling-based technology pathways for decarbonization with varying degrees of disruption," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 297(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Carol Hager & Nicole Hamagami, 2020. "Local Renewable Energy Initiatives in Germany and Japan in a Changing National Policy Environment," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 37(3), pages 386-411, May.
    2. Christoph H. Stefes, 2020. "Opposing Energy Transitions: Modeling the Contested Nature of Energy Transitions in the Electricity Sector," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 37(3), pages 292-312, May.
    3. Christoph H. Stefes & Carol Hager, 2020. "Resistance to Energy Transitions," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 37(3), pages 286-291, May.
    4. Dehler-Holland, Joris & Schumacher, Kira & Fichtner, Wolf, 2021. "Topic Modeling Uncovers Shifts in Media Framing of the German Renewable Energy Act," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 2(1).
    5. Nicholas A Cradock-Henry & Joanna Fountain & Franca Buelow, 2018. "Transformations for Resilient Rural Futures: The Case of Kaikōura, Aotearoa-New Zealand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-19, June.
    6. Shidore, Sarang & Busby, Joshua W., 2019. "What explains India's embrace of solar? State-led energy transition in a developmental polity," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 1179-1189.
    7. Sugandha Srivastav & Ryan Rafaty, 2023. "Political Strategies to Overcome Climate Policy Obstructionism," Papers 2304.14960, arXiv.org.
    8. Srivastav, Sugandha & Rafaty, Ryan, 2021. "Five Worlds of Political Strategy in the Climate Movement," INET Oxford Working Papers 2021-07, Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford.
    9. Matthew Lockwood & Caroline Kuzemko & Catherine Mitchell & Richard Hoggett, 2017. "Historical institutionalism and the politics of sustainable energy transitions: A research agenda," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 35(2), pages 312-333, March.
    10. Matthew Lockwood, 2022. "Policy feedback and institutional context in energy transitions," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 55(3), pages 487-507, September.
    11. Clau Dermont & Lorenz Kammermann, 2020. "Political Candidates and the Energy Issue: Nuclear Power Position and Electoral Success," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 37(3), pages 369-385, May.
    12. Johannes Urpelainen, 2012. "How do electoral competition and special interests shape the stringency of renewable energy standards?," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 14(1), pages 23-34, January.
    13. Giorgia Silvestri & Julia M. Wittmayer & Karlijn Schipper & Robinah Kulabako & Sampson Oduro-Kwarteng & Philip Nyenje & Hans Komakech & Roel Van Raak, 2018. "Transition Management for Improving the Sustainability of WASH Services in Informal Settlements in Sub-Saharan Africa—An Exploration," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-19, November.
    14. L. Mundaca & H. Moncreiff, 2021. "New Perspectives on Green Energy Defaults," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 357-383, September.
    15. Baccini, Leonardo & Urpelainen, Johannes, 2012. "Legislative fractionalization and partisan shifts to the left increase the volatility of public energy R&D expenditures," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 45571, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    16. Golinucci, Nicolò & Tonini, Francesco & Rocco, Matteo Vincenzo & Colombo, Emanuela, 2023. "Towards BitCO2, an individual consumption-based carbon emission reduction mechanism," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    17. Drago, Carlo & Gatto, Andrea, 2022. "Policy, regulation effectiveness, and sustainability in the energy sector: A worldwide interval-based composite indicator," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    18. Miles, Brian & Morse, Stephanie, 2007. "The role of news media in natural disaster risk and recovery," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(2-3), pages 365-373, August.
    19. Gavin Bridge & Ludger Gailing, 2020. "New energy spaces: Towards a geographical political economy of energy transition," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 52(6), pages 1037-1050, September.
    20. Geels, Frank W. & Ayoub, Martina, 2023. "A socio-technical transition perspective on positive tipping points in climate change mitigation: Analysing seven interacting feedback loops in offshore wind and electric vehicles acceleration," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:revpol:v:37:y:2020:i:3:p:313-341. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ipsonea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.