Socio-cultural framing during the emergence of a technological field : Creating cultural resonance for solar technology

This paper depicts how cultural resonance for novel technologies is constructed as a gradual, interactive process. We adopt a cultural framing perspective and strive to understand how actors assign meaning to the novel technology and determine its appropriateness for the local context. Existing research has largely focused on the strategic and political aspects of field framing processes through depicting conscious framing struggles between protagonist and antagonist actors. In addition to such strategic framing activities, we examine how other socio-cultural factors, such as changes in actor positions, interaction between framing activities, and the cultural “repertoire” of frames interact in producing cultural resonance. For our empirical case study, we followed the emerging technological field of solar energy during an intensive period of change. Our study contributes to the growing number of studies that draw attention to the creation of cultural resonance as an interactive multi-actor process by offering in-depth understanding of the multifaceted interactions that constitute the meaning-making process for an emerging field.Peer reviewe

Sähkön varastointi edistää aurinkosähkön pientuotantoa

Aurinkosähkö on varteenotettava osaratkaisu Suomen siirtyessä ilmastoneutraalimpaan ja resurssitehokkaampaan energiajärjestelmään. Sitä ei itsessään tarvitse välttämättä tukea, koska se on jo kannattavaa omaan kulutukseen käytettynä ja tullee vielä kannattavammaksi. Aurinkosähköratkaisuihin liittyy kuitenkin teknisiä, lainsäädännöllisiä ja energiapoliittisia ongelmia, joiden seurannaisvaikutukset ulottuvat laajemmalle sähköjärjestelmään. Tässä analyysissa pohdimme niihin ratkaisuja erityisesti sähkövarastoja hyödyntämällä. Ongelmien ratkaisuksi suosittelemme erityisesti seuraavia suosituksia: 1) energiayhteisön muodostaminen, 2) vaihenetotuksen mahdollistaminen, 3) tunti-/varttinetotuksen käyttöönotto, 4) ylijäämäsähkön verkkoon syötön verkkopalvelumaksurajoitteen uudelleenarviointi, 5) pysyvään kesäaikaan siirtyminen aurinkosähkön tuotannon hyödyntämiseksi mahdollisimman tehokkaasti, 6) akkutilan rakentamisen kannustaminen, 7) sähköveron muuttaminen dynaamiseksi, 8) sähkön siirron hinnoittelun muuttaminen tehoperusteiseksi, 9) akkujärjestelmäinnovaatioiden tukeminen

The wicked problem of a low carbon energy transition - Structure, agency and framing in the multi-actor process of solar PV deployment in Finland

Climate change is a wicked problem, inextricably bound up with environmental and sustainability issues. Policies responding to wicked problems are neither good nor bad, and there seem to be no solutions. Due to the urgency to mitigate climate change, there is a need for a more sustainable energy transition, which has likewise proved to be a wicked problem. Renewable energy that produces fewer or no greenhouse gas emissions meets with resistance, and a higher deployment of solar PV in Finland has not been easy to implement. This thesis addresses the equally wicked problem of a low carbon energy transition in Finland by examining the multi-actor process of solar PV deployment in Finland from the perspective of the classic social science triangle of structure, agency and framing. This interdisciplinary study draws on several research traditions. It adopts an analytic eclecticism approach that aims to integrate concepts and theories into a middle-range theory. The thesis also extends the timeline of energy transitions to include past energy transitions, and outlines possible alternatives for a future energy system. The research questions in the thesis are organized according to structure, agency and framing: How do the old structures act as barriers? What are the structural barriers that hinder a higher deployment of solar energy in Finland, and an energy transition in general? How can they be overcome? How have the advocacy coalitions been formed? How have the actor positions and interactions between the advocacy coalitions changed? How well have they achieved their targets? How have the framings changed? The thesis is based on four separate research papers. Three of the papers have been published in international peer-reviewed journals and one is an unpublished manuscript.  The findings show that barriers related to policy, business and consumers exist with regard to solar PV deployment. The most significant of these involve the lack of political will and a support policy, vested interests towards the current energy regime, the low competitiveness of solar PV, and general attitudes. These can be overcome with new policies, regulation and behaviour. When it comes to barriers concerning structure, namely vested interests, path dependence and lock-in, the state should take a more active role in policies that are conducive to structural change. The thesis also finds that there is a new energy political situation in Finland characterized by proponents of a green-transition on the one hand, and the old traditional coalition of energy producers and large industrial incumbents on the other. The advocacy position of different groups during the solar energy field framing process has also been influenced by how strongly they argued for or against the deployment of solar energy. The framings changed over time from accentuating a future energy system, moving to economic promise, and towards a struggling, competing position. Ilmastonmuutos on viheliäinen ongelma mutta samalla ympäristöongelma ja kestävän kehityksen ongelma. Viheliäisiin ongelmiin vastauksia tarjoavat politiikat eivät ole hyviä eivätkä pahoja, eikä niihin vaikuta olevan ratkaisuja. Ilmastonmuutoksen hillinnän kiireellisyyden takia on tarve siirtyä kestävämpään energiajärjestelmään, mikä on myös osoittautunut itsessään viheliäiseksi ongelmaksi. Uusiutuva energia, joka tuottaa vähemmän tai ei lainkaan kasvihuonekaasupäästöjä kohtaa vastarintaa, eikä esimerkiksi aurinkosähkön tuotantoa ole ollut helppo lisätä. Tämä väitös käsittelee viheliäistä vähähiiliseen energiajärjestelmään siirtymisen ongelmaa tarkastelemalla aurinkosähkön käyttöönoton monitoimijaprosessia Suomessa klassisen yhteiskuntatieteen kolmikon näkökulmasta: rakenne, toimijuus ja kehystäminen (framing). Tämä poikkitieteellinen tutkimus perustuu moneen eri tutkimusperinteeseen. Se omaksuu analyyttisen eklektisismin näkökulman, joka pyrkii integroimaan käsitteitä ja teorioita keskivälin teoriaksi (middle-range theory). Väitös myös pidentää energiatransitioiden aikajanaa käsittämään myös aikaisemmat energiatransitiot ja esittelee mahdollisia vaihtoehtoja tulevaisuuden energiajärjestelmälle.Väitöksen tutkimuskysymykset on järjestetty rakenteen, toimijuuden ja kehystämisen mukaan: Miten vanhat rakenteet toimivat esteinä? Mitkä ovat ne rakenteelliset esteet, jotka ovat suuremman aurinkosähkön käytön ja ylipäänsä energiatransition tiellä? Kuinka niistä voidaan päästä yli? Kuinka advokaattikoalitiot ovat muodostuneet? Kuinka hyvin ne ovat onnistuneet päämäärissään? Kuinka kehystämiset ovat muuttuneet? Väitös osoittaa, että aurinkosähkön käyttöä koskien on olemassa esteitä koskien politiikkaa, yrityksiä ja kuluttajia. Näistä tärkeimmät sisältävät poliittisen tahdon ja tukipolitiikan puuttumisen, nykyiseen energiajärjestelmään kohdistuvat intressit, aurinkosähkön alemman kilpailukyvyn ja yleiset asenteet. Nämä voidaan poistaa uusilla politiikoilla, sääntelyllä ja käyttäytymisellä. Mitä tulee rakenteisiin liittyviin esteisiin, erityisesti olemassa oleviin rakenteisiin liittyviin intresseihin, polkuriippuvuuteen ja lukkiutumiseen, valtion tulisi ottaa aktiivisempi rooli politiikoissa, jotka edesauttavat rakenteellista muutosta. Tutkimus löytää Suomesta uuden energiapoliittisen tilanteen, joka koostuu vihreän transition puolestapuhujista ja toisaalta vanhasta energiantuottajien ja isojen teollisten yritysten perinteisestä koalitiosta. Molempien ryhmien asemiin on vaikuttanut myös, miten voimakkaasti ne ovat argumentoineet aurinkoenergian käytön puolesta tai sitä vastaan. Asian kehystäminen on muuttunut ajan kanssa tulevaisuuden energiajärjestelmän painottamisesta taloudelliseen mahdollisuuteen ja lopuksi kohti taistelevaa ja kilpailevaa asemaa

(Un)Sustainable transitions towards fast and ultra-fast fashion

Abstract Due to pressing sustainability challenges, the fashion industry is undergoing tremendous change. Surprisingly, even though the unique context of fashion presents an opportunity for scholars to explore the (un)sustainable transitions, this context has yet to receive the attention of transition scholars. Our article explores fashion transitions and develops a conceptual framework demonstrating this transition's multi-level and multi-dimensional interactions. We draw on three literature areas: multi-level perspective (MLP) of sustainable transitions, institutional logics and framing contests. We then introduce a conceptual framework and illustrative examples from the industry and demonstrate the tensions between positive and negative environmental and social sustainability developments at the niche, regime and landscape levels. We show that while many positive developments can be seen in the regime players through the adoption of corporate sustainability initiatives, new business models and collaborations, more attention should also be given to some adverse developments. Overall, we contribute to the literature by exploring fashion transitions, an under-explored context, and by demonstrating the complexity of interactions due to the diffusion of heterogeneous institutional logics and framing contests between players

Fashion in turmoil: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Finland’s textile and fashion industry

With continuing climate change, consumers are reconsidering their fashion-consumption habits and clothing and apparel businesses are critically examining their industrial practices. The coronavirus pandemic can be considered a turning point as it has significantly affected the textile and fashion industry. By applying path-dependence theory to analyze developments in the textile and fashion industry in Finland, this study investigates prior pivotal moments to better understand how crises can provide possibilities for transformation. We first provide a historical review that aims to identify external shocks as major transitional events and examines their implications for short- and long-term trends. The study then analyzes the changes triggered by COVID-19 in the textile and fashion industry using empirical data collected from Finnish companies. The study reveals that the pandemic forced some firms to introduce several changes into their practices as part of efforts to survive, including innovations at all levels of design and manufacturing as well as new ways of managing sales and marketing. In addition, the crisis has been an opportunity to take steps toward societal and environmental transformation through more open and responsible business models involving a shift to local or close-by production to reduce environmental impact, to secure decent factory-working conditions, and to engage customers to reduce their consumption. The article concludes by considering issues relevant to the future of this industry during the post-pandemic period.Peer reviewe

The Role of Solar Photovoltaics and Energy Storage Solutions in a 100% Renewable Energy System for Finland in 2050

There are several barriers to achieving an energy system based entirely on renewable energy (RE) in Finland, not the least of which is doubt that high capacities of solar photovoltaics (PV) can be feasible due to long, cold and dark Finnish winters. Technologically, several energy storage options can facilitate high penetrations of solar PV and other variable forms of RE. These options include electric and thermal storage systems in addition to a robust role of Power-to-Gas technology. In an EnergyPLAN simulation of the Finnish energy system for 2050, approximately 45% of electricity produced from solar PV was used directly over the course of the year, which shows the relevance of storage. In terms of public policy, several mechanisms are available to promote various forms of RE. However, many of these are contested in Finland by actors with vested interests in maintaining the status quo rather than by those without confidence in RE conversion or storage technologies. These vested interests must be overcome before a zero fossil carbon future can begin. The results of this study provides insights into how higher capacities of solar PV can be effectively promoted and managed at high latitudes, both north and south.Peer reviewe