IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v119y2020ics1364032119308068.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A systematic review of energy systems: The role of policymaking in sustainable transitions

Author

Listed:
  • Robertson Munro, Fiona
  • Cairney, Paul

Abstract

The language of systems can be highly useful when defined clearly. It can help make sense of the interconnectedness of key actors, the ‘emergence’ of outcomes from large numbers of interactions, and the proposed transformation – by many governments - towards sustainable energy systems. However, ‘whole systems analysis’ and ‘systems thinking’ is often too vague to guide this project well. To explore these issues in depth, we show how they arise frequently in UK energy policy research and its impact on policymaking. First, our systematic review shows how researchers present patchy or inconsistent stories, in which the role of policy and policymaking is unclear, when they describe energy systems. Second, UK and devolved governments often use the language of systems to propose paradigmatic energy policy change, but refer to a metaphor rather than academic insights. Third, we outline three ways to make clearer sense of energy transitions and policy with reference to socio-technical, complex, and social-ecological systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Robertson Munro, Fiona & Cairney, Paul, 2020. "A systematic review of energy systems: The role of policymaking in sustainable transitions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:119:y:2020:i:c:s1364032119308068
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2019.109598
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032119308068
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.rser.2019.109598?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Butler, C. & Demski, C. & Parkhill, K. & Pidgeon, N. & Spence, A., 2015. "Public values for energy futures: Framing, indeterminacy and policy making," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 665-672.
    2. Hargreaves, Tom & Nye, Michael & Burgess, Jacquelin, 2010. "Making energy visible: A qualitative field study of how householders interact with feedback from smart energy monitors," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(10), pages 6111-6119, October.
    3. Graham Room, 2011. "Complexity, Institutions and Public Policy," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 14394.
    4. Cairney,Paul & Heikkila,Tanya & Wood,Matthew, 2019. "Making Policy in a Complex World," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781108729109, September.
    5. Rogge, Karoline S. & Reichardt, Kristin, 2016. "Policy mixes for sustainability transitions: An extended concept and framework for analysis," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(8), pages 1620-1635.
    6. Geels, Frank W., 2002. "Technological transitions as evolutionary reconfiguration processes: a multi-level perspective and a case-study," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(8-9), pages 1257-1274, December.
    7. Zhou, Kaile & Yang, Shanlin & Shao, Zhen, 2016. "Energy Internet: The business perspective," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 212-222.
    8. Cairney, Paul & McHarg, Aileen & McEwen, Nicola & Turner, Karen, 2019. "How to conceptualise energy law and policy for an interdisciplinary audience: The case of post-Brexit UK," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 459-466.
    9. Jessica De Boer & Christian Zuidema & Katharina Gugerell, 2018. "New interaction paths in the energy landscape: the role of local energy initiatives," Landscape Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(4), pages 489-502, May.
    10. Stephen Hall & Timothy J Foxon & Ronan Bolton, 2017. "Investing in low-carbon transitions: energy finance as an adaptive market," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(3), pages 280-298, April.
    11. Paul Cairney, 2012. "Complexity Theory in Political Science and Public Policy," Political Studies Review, Political Studies Association, vol. 10(3), pages 346-358, September.
    12. Shortall, Ruth & Kharrazi, Ali, 2017. "Cultural factors of sustainable energy development: A case study of geothermal energy in Iceland and Japan," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 101-109.
    13. Winskel, Mark & Markusson, Nils & Jeffrey, Henry & Candelise, Chiara & Dutton, Geoff & Howarth, Paul & Jablonski, Sophie & Kalyvas, Christos & Ward, David, 2014. "Learning pathways for energy supply technologies: Bridging between innovation studies and learning rates," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 96-114.
    14. Spyridaki, N.-A. & Flamos, A., 2014. "A paper trail of evaluation approaches to energy and climate policy interactions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 1090-1107.
    15. Mitchell, Catherine & Woodman, Bridget, 2010. "Towards trust in regulation--moving to a public value regulation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(6), pages 2644-2651, June.
    16. Aidan Rhodes & Jim Skea & Matthew Hannon, 2014. "The Global Surge in Energy Innovation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 7(9), pages 1-23, August.
    17. Bridge, Gavin & Bouzarovski, Stefan & Bradshaw, Michael & Eyre, Nick, 2013. "Geographies of energy transition: Space, place and the low-carbon economy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 331-340.
    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. Xinxin Liu & Nan Li & Feng Liu & Hailin Mu & Longxi Li & Xiaoyu Liu, 2021. "Optimal Design on Fossil-to-Renewable Energy Transition of Regional Integrated Energy Systems under CO 2 Emission Abatement Control: A Case Study in Dalian, China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-25, May.
    2. Caragliu, Andrea & Graziano, Marcello, 2022. "The spatial dimension of energy transition policies, practices and technologies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    3. Kusuma, Ravi Teja & Hiremath, Rahul B. & Rajesh, Pachimatla & Kumar, Bimlesh & Renukappa, Suresh, 2022. "Sustainable transition towards biomass-based cement industry: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    4. Bedggood, Rowan & Russell-Bennett, Rebekah & McAndrew, Ryan & Glavas, Charmaine & Dulleck, Uwe, 2023. "Challenging the social-power paradigm: Moving beyond consumer empowerment to an energy ecosystem of shared value," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    5. Rasti-Barzoki, Morteza & Moon, Ilkyeong, 2021. "A game theoretic approach for analyzing electric and gasoline-based vehicles’ competition in a supply chain under government sustainable strategies: A case study of South Korea," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    6. Saurabh Biswas & Clark A. Miller, 2022. "Deconstructing knowledge and reconstructing understanding: Designing a knowledge architecture for transdisciplinary co‐creation of energy futures," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(2), pages 293-308, April.
    7. Mehmet Efe Biresselioglu & Muhittin Hakan Demir, 2022. "Constructing a Decision Tree for Energy Policy Domain Based on Real-Life Data," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-15, March.
    8. Bartłomiej Kizielewicz & Jarosław Wątróbski & Wojciech Sałabun, 2020. "Identification of Relevant Criteria Set in the MCDA Process—Wind Farm Location Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-40, December.
    9. Blanco, Herib & Leaver, Jonathan & Dodds, Paul E. & Dickinson, Robert & García-Gusano, Diego & Iribarren, Diego & Lind, Arne & Wang, Changlong & Danebergs, Janis & Baumann, Martin, 2022. "A taxonomy of models for investigating hydrogen energy systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    10. Lai Fong Chiu & Robert John Lowe, 2022. "Eliciting Stakeholders’ Requirements for Future Energy Systems: A Case Study of Heat Decarbonisation in the UK," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-21, October.
    11. Praene, Jean Philippe & Rasamoelina, Rindrasoa Miangaly & Ayagapin, Leslie, 2021. "Past and prospective electricity scenarios in Madagascar: The role of government energy policies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    12. Simone Di Leo & Marta Chicca & Cinzia Daraio & Andrea Guerrini & Stefano Scarcella, 2022. "A Framework for the Analysis of the Sustainability of the Energy Retail Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-28, June.
    13. Amiri-Pebdani, Sima & Alinaghian, Mahdi & Khosroshahi, Hossein, 2023. "A game theoretic approach for time-of-use pricing with considering renewable portfolio standard effects and investment in energy storage technologies under government interventions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    14. Dahash, Abdulrahman & Ochs, Fabian & Tosatto, Alice, 2021. "Techno-economic and exergy analysis of tank and pit thermal energy storage for renewables district heating systems," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 1358-1379.

    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. Egusquiza, A. & Ginestet, S. & Espada, J.C. & Flores-Abascal, I. & Garcia-Gafaro, C. & Giraldo-Soto, C. & Claude, S. & Escadeillas, G., 2021. "Co-creation of local eco-rehabilitation strategies for energy improvement of historic urban areas," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    2. Steffen S. Bettin, 2020. "Electricity infrastructure and innovation in the next phase of energy transition—amendments to the technology innovation system framework," Review of Evolutionary Political Economy, Springer, vol. 1(3), pages 371-395, November.
    3. Cairney, Paul & McHarg, Aileen & McEwen, Nicola & Turner, Karen, 2019. "How to conceptualise energy law and policy for an interdisciplinary audience: The case of post-Brexit UK," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 459-466.
    4. Kanger, Laur & Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Noorkõiv, Martin, 2020. "Six policy intervention points for sustainability transitions: A conceptual framework and a systematic literature review," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(7).
    5. Kobos, Peter H. & Malczynski, Leonard A. & Walker, La Tonya N. & Borns, David J. & Klise, Geoffrey T., 2018. "Timing is everything: A technology transition framework for regulatory and market readiness levels," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 211-225.
    6. Wiegand, Julia, 2017. "Dezentrale Stromerzeugung als Chance zur Stärkung der Energie-Resilienz: Eine qualitative Analyse kommunaler Strategien im Raum Unna," Wuppertaler Studienarbeiten zur nachhaltigen Entwicklung, Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, volume 11, number 11.
    7. Funcke, Simon & Bauknecht, Dierk, 2016. "Typology of centralised and decentralised visions for electricity infrastructure," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 67-74.
    8. Barbanente, Angela & Grassini, Laura, 2022. "Fostering transitions in landscape policies: A multi-level perspective," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    9. Foxon, Timothy J., 2013. "Transition pathways for a UK low carbon electricity future," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 10-24.
    10. Filiou, Despoina & Kesidou, Effie & Wu, Lichao, 2023. "Are smart cities green? The role of environmental and digital policies for Eco-innovation in China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    11. Child, Michael & Breyer, Christian, 2017. "Transition and transformation: A review of the concept of change in the progress towards future sustainable energy systems," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 11-26.
    12. Nina Savela & Jarkko Levänen & Sara Lindeman & Nnenesi Kgabi & Heikki Koivisto & Meri Olenius & Samuel John & Damas Mashauri & Minna M. Keinänen-Toivola, 2020. "Rapid Urbanization and Infrastructure Pressure: Comparing the Sustainability Transition Potential of Water and Energy Regimes in Namibia," World, MDPI, vol. 1(2), pages 1-18, July.
    13. Chunhong Sheng & Yun Cao & Bing Xue, 2018. "Residential Energy Sustainability in China and Germany: The Impact of National Energy Policy System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-18, December.
    14. Crabolu, Gloria & Font, Xavier & Eker, Sibel, 2023. "Evaluating policy complexity with Causal Loop Diagrams," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    15. Kuriyama, Akihisa & Abe, Naoya, 2021. "Decarbonisation of the power sector to engender a ‘Just transition’ in Japan: Quantifying local employment impacts," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    16. Imbert, Enrica & Ladu, Luana & Morone, Piergiuseppe & Quitzow, Rainer, 2017. "Policy strategies for a transition to a bioeconomy in Europe: the case of Italy and Germany," MPRA Paper 78143, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Befort, N., 2020. "Going beyond definitions to understand tensions within the bioeconomy: The contribution of sociotechnical regimes to contested fields," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    18. Roesler, Tim & Hassler, Markus, 2019. "Creating niches – The role of policy for the implementation of bioenergy village cooperatives in Germany," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 95-101.
    19. Pečarič Mirko, 2020. "Regulatory Cybernetics: Adaptability and Probability in the Public Administration’s Regulations," NISPAcee Journal of Public Administration and Policy, Sciendo, vol. 13(1), pages 133-156, June.
    20. Llewellyn, David H. & Rohse, Melanie & Day, Rosie & Fyfe, Hamish, 2017. "Evolving energy landscapes in the South Wales Valleys: Exploring community perception and participation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 818-828.

    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:eee:rensus:v:119:y:2020:i:c:s1364032119308068. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/description#description .

    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.