Table of Contents
PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………………………………………… vii
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………………………………………… 1
INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2
ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3
TRANSITION TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SYSTEM …………………………………………………………………………. 4
LITERATURE GAP ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 6
RESEARCH QUESTION ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 6
RESEARCH APPROACH ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7
CHAPTER 2: TRANSITIONS IN SOCIO-TECHNICAL SYSTEMS ……………………………………….. 11
TRANSITION ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 11
MULTI-STAGE DYNAMICS …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 12
MULTI-LEVEL DYNAMICS ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 13
SOCIO – TECHNICAL SYSTEMS …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 15
DELINEATING RULES …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 17
STRUCTURE – ACTOR DUALITY ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 19
STRUCTURE AND PROCESS……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 21
DISCUSSION ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 23
CHAPTER 3: ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK – TRANSCRIPT …………………………………………….. 25
CONCEPTUALIZING TRANSITIONS ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 30
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 32
TESTING OUR FRAMEWORK ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 37
CHAPTER 4: GREENING OF GAS CASE STUDY ……………………………………………………………….. 39
NECESSARY CONDITION 1: NEED FOR EXCESS HYDROGEN CAPACITY. ………………………………………………………… 42
NECESSARY CONDITION 2: NEED TO BE ABLE TO FEED HYDROGEN INTO THE NATURAL GAS NETWORK AND TO HAVE ENDUSER APPLIANCES THAT ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE HYDROGEN AND NATURAL GAS MIXTURE. …………………………… 56
RESULTS …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 70
AND/OR DIAGRAMS PRESENTING ALL THE ASSETS ……………………………………………………………………………….. 71
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION ALONG WITH THE RELEVANT STRUCTURES…………………………………………………………….. 73
DISCUSSION ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 76
CHAPTER 5: HYDROGEN FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT CASE STUDY ………………………………. 81
NECESSARY CONDITION 1: NEED FOR EXCESS HYDROGEN CAPACITY. ………………………………………………………… 83
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NECESSARY CONDITION 2: NEED TO HAVE EASY ACCESSIBILITY OF HYDROGEN FOR REFUELING THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT
BUSES. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 90
NECESSARY CONDITION 3: NEED TO HAVE HYDROGEN READY BUSES………………………………………………………… 92
RESULTS …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 101
AND/OR DIAGRAMS PRESENTING ALL THE ASSETS ……………………………………………………………………………….101
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION ALONG WITH RELEVANT STRUCTURES …………………………………………………………………103
DISCUSSION …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 105
CHAPTER 6: DISTRICT HEATING SYSTEM CASE STUDY …………………………………………….. 107
NECESSARY CONDITION 1: NEED TO BE ABLE TO CAPTURE WASTE HEAT. …………………………………………………. 109
NECESSARY CONDITION 2: NEED TO BE ABLE TO TRANSPORT AND USE WASTE HEAT FOR DISTRICT HEATING. ………….. 115
RESULTS …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 120
AND/OR DIAGRAMS PRESENTING ALL THE ASSETS ……………………………………………………………………………….121
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION ALONG WITH RELEVANT STRUCTURES …………………………………………………………………122
DISCUSSION …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 124
CHAPTER 7: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS ……………………………………………………………. 125
DISCUSSION …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 125
CONTRIBUTION TO THE TRANSITION MANAGEMENT BODY OF LITERATURE …………………………………………………….126
ADDED VALUE OF THE TRANSCRIPT FRAMEWORK ………………………………………………………………………………..132
CONTRIBUTION TO THE SYSTEM DYNAMICS BODY OF LITERATURE ………………………………………………………………135
CONTRIBUTION TO THE TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION SYSTEMS BODY OF LITERATURE ………………………………………….137
CONCLUSIONS ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 140
VALIDATING OUR ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK ……………………………………………………………………………………….141
REFLECTION ON THE RESEARCH PROCESS …………………………………………………………………………………….. 144
FUTURE OUTLOOK FOR OUR FRAMEWORK …………………………………………………………………………………… 146
CHAPTER 8: REFLECTION…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 151
BIBLIOGRAPHY …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 157
INDEX …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 181
SUMMARY ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 183
SAMENVATTING ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 193
ABOUT THE AUTHOR …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 203
LIST OF PUBLICATIONS ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 204
Abstract
A sustainable energy system is paramount if we would like to see our future generations prosper. Changing the energy system towards sustainability implies a transition. The contribution of this research will be to develop an analytical tool that will give insight into possible transitions in energy systems. Dominant views on transition are centered on the system level dynamics, where the focus is on an aggregated view of the system. We see a gap in the literature, especially a framework that maps out structural changes during transition is missing. We hypothesize that systematic analysis of the structure and processes will give us an insight into the transition process. If we could garner insight into this, we would know which actors control, or are influenced by, such structures; and which incentives or disincentives would mobilize or constrain such actors. Such actor-centered approach will help us in identifying policy levers by giving a clear idea to policy makers how to cater to the intrinsic drivers of different actors in order to nudge the transition towards a desired end-state. As this framework is intended to script transitions, through detailed structural analysis along with their accompanying actors and processes, we name it TranScript. TranScript captures the relationship between the actors, structures and processes – where actor create structures, but at the same time actors’ actions (processes) are facilitated by structures (more specifically, rules).