IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v10y2018i6p1721-d148850.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Transition without Conflict? Renewable Energy Initiatives in the Dutch Energy Transition

Author

Listed:
  • Antonia Proka

    (Dutch Research Institute for Transitions, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 3062 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Matthijs Hisschemöller

    (Dutch Research Institute for Transitions, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 3062 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Derk Loorbach

    (Dutch Research Institute for Transitions, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 3062 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

Abstract

In the context of the slowly progressing energy transition, a number of renewable energy initiatives have been emerging in the Netherlands. These initiatives represent alternatives to the dominant functioning of the energy system, and as such, may come into conflict with it. Transitions involve system destabilisation and conflict between the incumbent regime and the initiatives originating in niches. In order to assess the transformative potential of such initiatives, this paper addresses the question: what kind of conflicts and tensions arise from renewable energy initiatives, and what strategies do they develop to overcome or avoid them? Combined with a business model perspective, transition thinking enabled a better understanding of how the initiatives organise themselves, and where the points of friction with their institutional context emerge. We suggest that the instances of conflict may function as an indication for the state of the energy transition and the transformative potential impact of such initiatives. The instances discussed in this contribution relate to existing support schemes, technology choices, and the overall organisational networks of the emerging sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Antonia Proka & Matthijs Hisschemöller & Derk Loorbach, 2018. "Transition without Conflict? Renewable Energy Initiatives in the Dutch Energy Transition," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-19, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:6:p:1721-:d:148850
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/6/1721/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/6/1721/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Luthander, Rasmus & Widén, Joakim & Nilsson, Daniel & Palm, Jenny, 2015. "Photovoltaic self-consumption in buildings: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 80-94.
    2. Doganova, Liliana & Eyquem-Renault, Marie, 2009. "What do business models do?: Innovation devices in technology entrepreneurship," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(10), pages 1559-1570, December.
    3. Smith, Adrian & Raven, Rob, 2012. "What is protective space? Reconsidering niches in transitions to sustainability," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(6), pages 1025-1036.
    4. David L. Levy & Daniel Egan, 2003. "A Neo‐Gramscian Approach to Corporate Political Strategy: Conflict and Accommodation in the Climate Change Negotiations," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(4), pages 803-829, June.
    5. Verbong, Geert & Geels, Frank, 2007. "The ongoing energy transition: Lessons from a socio-technical, multi-level analysis of the Dutch electricity system (1960-2004)," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 1025-1037, February.
    6. Kern, Florian & Verhees, Bram & Raven, Rob & Smith, Adrian, 2015. "Empowering sustainable niches: Comparing UK and Dutch offshore wind developments," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 344-355.
    7. Antonia Proka & P. J. Beers & Derk Loorbach, 2018. "Transformative Business Models for Sustainability Transitions," CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance, in: Lars Moratis & Frans Melissen & Samuel O. Idowu (ed.), Sustainable Business Models, chapter 0, pages 19-39, Springer.
    8. van der Schoor, Tineke & Scholtens, Bert, 2015. "Power to the people: Local community initiatives and the transition to sustainable energy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 666-675.
    9. Marieke Oteman & Henk-Jan Kooij & Mark A. Wiering, 2017. "Pioneering Renewable Energy in an Economic Energy Policy System: The History and Development of Dutch Grassroots Initiatives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-21, April.
    10. Fuenfschilling, Lea & Truffer, Bernhard, 2014. "The structuration of socio-technical regimes—Conceptual foundations from institutional theory," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 772-791.
    11. Seyfang, Gill & Park, Jung Jin & Smith, Adrian, 2013. "A thousand flowers blooming? An examination of community energy in the UK," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 977-989.
    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. Antonia Proka & Derk Loorbach & Matthijs Hisschemöller, 2018. "Leading from the Niche: Insights from a Strategic Dialogue of Renewable Energy Cooperatives in The Netherlands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-21, November.
    2. Nick Verkade & Johanna Höffken, 2019. "Collective Energy Practices: A Practice-Based Approach to Civic Energy Communities and the Energy System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-15, June.
    3. Anne-Lorene Vernay & Carine Sebi, 2020. "Energy communities and their ecosystems A comparison of France and the Netherlands," Grenoble Ecole de Management (Post-Print) hal-02987790, HAL.
    4. 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).
    5. Donné Wagemans & Christian Scholl & Véronique Vasseur, 2019. "Facilitating the Energy Transition—The Governance Role of Local Renewable Energy Cooperatives," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-20, November.
    6. Vernay, Anne-Lorène & Sebi, Carine, 2020. "Energy communities and their ecosystems: A comparison of France and the Netherlands," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    7. Maqbool, Amtul Samie & van der Waal, Esther & van der Windt, Henny, 2023. "‘Luctor et emergo’, how a community energy initiative survived the changing policy and technology landscape of the Dutch energy system?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    8. Ela Callorda Fossati & Aurore Fransolet, 2021. "The Transition Towards a Circular Economy in Brussels from an Exnovation Perspective: Actors’ Perceptions on Targeting Delinearisation," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/364470, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    9. Dimitris Al. Katsaprakakis & Antonia Proka & Dimitris Zafirakis & Markos Damasiotis & Panos Kotsampopoulos & Nikos Hatziargyriou & Eirini Dakanali & George Arnaoutakis & Dimitrios Xevgenos, 2022. "Greek Islands’ Energy Transition: From Lighthouse Projects to the Emergence of Energy Communities," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-34, August.
    10. Mah, Daphne Ngar-yin & Cheung, Darren Man-wai & Leung, Michael K.H. & Wang, Maggie Yachao & Wong, Mandy Wai-ming & Lo, Kevin & Cheung, Altair T.F., 2021. "Policy mixes and the policy learning process of energy transitions: Insights from the feed-in tariff policy and urban community solar in Hong Kong," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    11. Bouchra El Houda Lamhamedi & Walter Timo de Vries, 2022. "An Exploration of the Land–(Renewable) Energy Nexus," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-17, May.
    12. Anne-Lorene Vernay & Carine Sebi, 2020. "Energy communities and their ecosystems A comparison of France and the Netherlands," Post-Print hal-02987790, HAL.
    13. Julia Maria Wittmayer & Tessa de Geus & Bonno Pel & F. Avelino & Sabine Hielscher & Thomas Hoppe & Marie Susan Mühlemeier & Agata Stasik & Sem Oxenaar & Karoline K.S. Rogge & Vivian Visser & Esther Ma, 2020. "Beyond instrumentalism: Broadening the understanding of social innovation in socio-technical energy systems," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/312323, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    14. Larissa Shnayder & Hans van Kranenburg & Sjors Witjes, 2021. "Transformational Ability of Energy Network Companies: The Role of Institutional Logics and Boundary Spanners," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-15, December.

    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. Antonia Proka & Derk Loorbach & Matthijs Hisschemöller, 2018. "Leading from the Niche: Insights from a Strategic Dialogue of Renewable Energy Cooperatives in The Netherlands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-21, November.
    2. Beau Warbroek & Thomas Hoppe & Frans Coenen & Hans Bressers, 2018. "The Role of Intermediaries in Supporting Local Low-Carbon Energy Initiatives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-28, July.
    3. Collier, Samuel H.C. & House, Jo I. & Connor, Peter M. & Harris, Richard, 2023. "Distributed local energy: Assessing the determinants of domestic-scale solar photovoltaic uptake at the local level across England and Wales," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    4. Svensson, Oscar & Nikoleris, Alexandra, 2018. "Structure reconsidered: Towards new foundations of explanatory transitions theory," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(2), pages 462-473.
    5. Lynette A. M. H. Germes & Carina J. Wiekens & Lummina G. Horlings, 2021. "Success, Failure, and Impact of Local Energy Initiatives in The Netherlands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-16, November.
    6. Warneryd, Martin & Håkansson, Maria & Karltorp, Kersti, 2020. "Unpacking the complexity of community microgrids: A review of institutions’ roles for development of microgrids," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    7. Wittmayer, Julia M. & Avelino, Flor & Pel, Bonno & Campos, Inês, 2021. "Contributing to sustainable and just energy systems? The mainstreaming of renewable energy prosumerism within and across institutional logics," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    8. Matschoss, Kaisa & Repo, Petteri, 2020. "Forward-looking network analysis of ongoing sustainability transitions," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    9. Thomas Hoppe & Frans H. J. M. Coenen & Maria T. Bekendam, 2019. "Renewable Energy Cooperatives as a Stimulating Factor in Household Energy Savings," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-33, March.
    10. Turnheim, Bruno & Geels, Frank W., 2019. "Incumbent actors, guided search paths, and landmark projects in infra-system transitions: Re-thinking Strategic Niche Management with a case study of French tramway diffusion (1971–2016)," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(6), pages 1412-1428.
    11. Papachristos, George & Papadonikolaki, Eleni & Morgan, Bethan, 2024. "Projects as a speciation and aggregation mechanism in transitions: Bridging project management and transitions research in the digitalization of UK architecture, engineering, and construction industry," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    12. Mari Martiskainen, 2016. "The role of community leadership in the development of grassroots innovations," SPRU Working Paper Series 2016-10, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.
    13. Vernay, Anne-Lorène & Sebi, Carine, 2020. "Energy communities and their ecosystems: A comparison of France and the Netherlands," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    14. Frans H. J. M. Coenen & Thomas Hoppe, 2022. "Renewable Energy Communities as a New Actor in Home Energy Savings," Urban Planning, Cogitatio Press, vol. 7(2), pages 108-122.
    15. Klein, Sharon J.W. & Coffey, Stephanie, 2016. "Building a sustainable energy future, one community at a time," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 867-880.
    16. Jain, Sanjay, 2020. "Fumbling to the future? Socio-technical regime change in the recorded music industry," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    17. Julia Maria Wittmayer & Tessa de Geus & Bonno Pel & F. Avelino & Sabine Hielscher & Thomas Hoppe & Marie Susan Mühlemeier & Agata Stasik & Sem Oxenaar & Karoline K.S. Rogge & Vivian Visser & Esther Ma, 2020. "Beyond instrumentalism: Broadening the understanding of social innovation in socio-technical energy systems," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/312323, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    18. Esther C. van der Waal & Alexandra M. Das & Tineke van der Schoor, 2020. "Participatory Experimentation with Energy Law: Digging in a ‘Regulatory Sandbox’ for Local Energy Initiatives in the Netherlands," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-21, January.
    19. Benjamin C. Wilde & Eva Lieberherr & Andrew E. Okem & Johan Six, 2019. "Nitrified Human Urine as a Sustainable and Socially Acceptable Fertilizer: An Analysis of Consumer Acceptance in Msunduzi, South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-13, April.
    20. Kamp, Linda M. & Vanheule, Lynn F.I., 2015. "Review of the small wind turbine sector in Kenya: Status and bottlenecks for growth," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 470-480.

    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:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:6:p:1721-:d:148850. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.