Learning from Recent Work on Innovation Processes and the Co-evolution of Technology, Economy and Society

CrESSI Deliverable D4.1, part 2

Citizen-led decentralised energy futures:Emerging rationales of energy system organisation

The current energy systems are undergoing fundamental changes driven by the climate crisis, unfolding digitalisation and increasing calls for a more active citizens' engagement. The impact of these ongoing trends on the future energy system, however, is far from straightforward. Although there is an increasing shift towards a decentralisation, it is not clear yet how exactly this new decentralised configuration will unfold and materialise. In this article we explore the rationales behind current trends towards a more decentralised electricity system. Given the developments in the electricity system, our study centres on emerging initiatives led by citizens and their values. Theoretically, we first mobilise the notion of socio-technical system as constituted and reproduced by actors, institutions, and technology, operating based on certain shared principles. We use this lens to describe the past and current energy system organisation. Secondly, based on two dimensions of value orientation and steering direction we define four emerging ideal-types socio-technical decentralisation configurations. We examine possible pathways of change, and the institutional, actor and technological preconditions they require, to become predominant forms of decentralisation. We conclude that although all forms of decentralisation may potentially contribute to low carbon objectives, they are likely to co-evolve catering to diverse system needs and the citizen requirements simultaneously.</p

Monitoring climate policy. A full carbon accounting approach based on material flow analysis.

The main goal of the thesis is to develop a monitoring instrument for climate policy that is based on the Kyoto Protocol and the IPCC guidelines. The instrument developed is based on a "Full Carbon Accounting" approach which takes into account the carbon flows of the biosphere as well as those related to society's metabolism. Conceptually the analysis is based on the epistemological concept of society nature interaction comprising society's metabolism and colonisation of nature as main starting points. This leads to the empirical concept of material flow analysis. The thesis quantifies the carbon flows and the related uncertainties of the Austrian economy for 1990 for selected areas in a consistent way. The thesis also tries to build up a framework for system of indicators that would allow evaluating climate policy. (author´s abstract

System innovations and Transition Management in Austria: the case of wood-plastic composites and biopolymers

Austria is at the forefront of Europe in terms of innovation in the use of renewable resources for energy supplies. In recent years Austria has also sought to use renewables resources as widely as possible in product manufacturing, though for the moment their adoption is still limited. This paper presents transition field analysis and puts it to the test through a study of the production system for wood and plastic composites and biopolymers in Austria. The intention is to explain how transition field analysis can be interpreted, what impact it has had and how it has influenced governance in the drawing up of a strategy for innovation and technological research policies in Austria.transition, production systems, scenarios

Modelling sustainability transitions : an assessment of approaches and challenges

Transition modelling is an emerging but growing niche within the broader field of sustainability transitions research. The objective of this paper is to explore the characteristics of this niche in relation to a range of existing modelling approaches and literatures with which it shares commonalities or from which it could draw. We distil a number of key aspects we think a transitions model should be able to address, from a broadly acknowledged, empirical list of transition characteristics. We review some of the main strands in modelling of socio-technological change with regards to their ability to address these characteristics. These are: Eco-innovation literatures (energy-economy models and Integrated Assessment Models), evolutionary economics, complex systems models, computational social science simulations using agent based models, system dynamics models and socio-ecological systems models. The modelling approaches reviewed can address many of the features that differentiate sustainability transitions from other socio-economic dynamics or innovations. The most problematic features are the representation of qualitatively different system states and of the normative aspects of change. The comparison provides transition researchers with a starting point for their choice of a modelling approach, whose characteristics should correspond to the characteristics of the research question they face. A promising line of research is to develop innovative models of co-evolution of behaviours and technologies towards sustainability, involving change in the structure of the societal and technical systems

Umweltwirkungen von FTI-politischen Maßnahmen: Herausforderungen und Ansätze für die Evaluierungspraxis

Von der Politik wird zunehmend erwartet, dass sie aktiv zur Erreichung gesellschaftlich bzw. politisch festgelegter Umweltziele beiträgt. Vor diesem Hintergrund kann in den vergangenen Jahren auch eine verstärkte Berücksichtigung der Wirkungen der FTI-Politik auf die natürliche Umwelt beobachtet werden. Dies drückt sich sowohl in der Festlegung von Umweltkriterien sowie einer zunehmenden systemischen Orientierung von FTI-politischen Maßnahmen aus, um eine Transition hin zu einer klimaneutralen und ressourceneffizienten Gesellschaft zu unterstützen. Dieser Beitrag setzt sich mit den aus dieser „Ökologisierung“ der FTI-Politik entstehenden Herausforderungen für die Evaluierungspraxis auseinander und stellt bestehende Ansätze zu ihrer Adressierung vor