How to trigger mass market adoption of electric vehicles? Factors predicting interest in electric vehicles in Germany

Plug-in electric vehicles (PPEVs) have noteworthy potential to reduce global and local emissions and are expected to become a relevant future market for vehicle sales. Both policy makers and car manufacturers have an interest to understand the future PEV user groups, also those beyond the current 'early adopter'. However, there are only a few empirical results available about potential future PEV users. Here, we use data from a representative survey on PEV interest from Germany to analyse factors that are related to interest in PEVs of private car buyers. Interest in PEV implies a positive attitude towards this new technology and is thus a prerequisite for later adoption. Our results show that technology affinity and the feeling that an PEV can serve the user's driving need are positively connected to interest in PEVs. Furthermore, persons that connect a strong feeling of independence with conventional vehicles are less likely to be interested in PEVs. Our results indicate that automakers promoting PEVs should focus their marketing on the new yet ready technology in the next years

Plug-in electric vehicles automated charging control

This paper examines how plug-in electric vehicles can be managed to balance the fluctuation of renewable electricity sources. In this context, different control strategies are introduced. To investigate indirect control via electricity tariffs, an electricity market analysis is conducted of a system with a high share of generation from renewable electricity sources. The analysis uses driving data collected from battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in a research project which means that real charging and driving behavior can be considered. The results show that it is difficult to implement smart charging based on economic arguments because the incentives from day-ahead electricity markets are relatively small. In addition, a novel, autonomous control approach is discussed for plug-in electric vehicles. While measuring the voltage at the grid connection point, plug-in electric vehicles are able to fully independently generate operation schedules that can avoid load peaks and integrate fluctuating power outputs from distributed renewable generation sources. The results reveal that combining indirect, price-based control to consider the system level with autonomous voltage-based control to consider the situation in distribution grids is a very promising control approach that allows electric vehicles to benefit from sustainable renewable generation and avoids load peaks due to simultaneous charging

Configurational Innovation Systems: Transition Dynamics and Actor Strategies in the German Heat System

The thesis introduces the concept of configurational innovation systems as a subtype of technological innovation systems. Configurational innovation systems evolve around technologies that are highly dependent on the local context for their implementation. The thesis introduces the concept of generic innovation systems as a counterpart of configurational innovation systems, which evolve around technologies that are less dependent on the local context for their implementation. The differentiating between configurational innovation systems and generic innovation systems is relative in terms of scale, yet it has repercussions for the defining pillars and key processes of technological innovation systems. Due to their stronger local context dependence, configurational innovation systems feature more fragmented actor structures, interaction, and institutions. The empirical evidence from the German heat sector, which is presented in the thesis, suggests that due to this more fragmented structure, configurational innovation systems are prone to problematic development patterns. These hinder supportive policy change and hence slow the rate of diffusion of more sustainable innovations, as well as of sustainability transitions more generally

Configurational Innovation Systems: Transition Dynamics and Actor Strategies in the German Heat System

The thesis introduces the concept of configurational innovation systems as a subtype of technological innovation systems. Configurational innovation systems evolve around technologies that are highly dependent on the local context for their implementation. The thesis introduces the concept of generic innovation systems as a counterpart of configurational innovation systems, which evolve around technologies that are less dependent on the local context for their implementation. The differentiating between configurational innovation systems and generic innovation systems is relative in terms of scale, yet it has repercussions for the defining pillars and key processes of technological innovation systems. Due to their stronger local context dependence, configurational innovation systems feature more fragmented actor structures, interaction, and institutions. The empirical evidence from the German heat sector, which is presented in the thesis, suggests that due to this more fragmented structure, configurational innovation systems are prone to problematic development patterns. These hinder supportive policy change and hence slow the rate of diffusion of more sustainable innovations, as well as of sustainability transitions more generally

Knowledge, use and effectiveness of social acceptance measures for wind projects

Windenergie stellt eine der zentralen Technologien dar, um unabhängig von fossilen Brennstoffen zu werden. Auf der lokalen Ebene stellt die Umsetzung jedoch teilweise eine Herausforderung dar und die lokale Akzeptanz von Onshore Windkraftanlagen ist zu einem zentralen Thema geworden. Kommunikation und Bürgerbeteiligung werden als Strategien gesehen, um lokaler Opposition vorzubeugen oder dieser zu begegnen. In diesem Beitrag werden die Sichtweise von unterschiedlichen Experten aus dem Bereich Windenergie sowie ihre Erfahrungen mit Maßnahmen der Öffentlichkeitsbeteiligung untersucht. Zudem wird die Wirksamkeit der Maßnahmen in Bezug auf die soziale Akzeptanz von Windenergieprojekten analysiert. Für die Analyse wird auf eine Expertenbefragung von 207 Personen im Zusammenhang mit Windenergieprojekten zurückgegriffen. Die Untersuchung zeigt, dass häufiger negative als positive Reaktionen auf Windfarmen berichtet werden. In fast 40 % der Fälle hat ein Mangel an sozialer Akzeptanz negative Folgen für die Projektentwicklung, welche von zeitlichen Verzögerungen bis zum Stopp des Projekts reichen. Die große Mehrheit der Projektentwickler reagiert darauf, indem zumindest ab und zu Aktivitäten zur Öffentlichkeitsbeteiligung durchgeführt werden. Ein viel kleinerer Anteil tut dies jedoch systematisch und in frühen Projektphasen ist nur ein geringes Aktivitätslevel zu verzeichnen. In Bezug auf einen Zusammenhang zwischen den Aktivitäten und dem Erfolg des Projekts geben die Analysen Hinweise darauf, dass frühes und systematisches Beteiligen der Öffentlichkeit und Interessensgruppen negative Reaktionen reduzieren kann

People vs. Windfarms? To what extent are strategies for public participation used to foster social acceptance in the European wind energy sector?

Wind is the most mature of the existing Renewable Energy Technologies and it is expected to play a fundamental role towards the transition to a sustainable energy system. European citizens are generally in favour of wind energy; however, on a local level windfarm developers often have to deal with opposition. Thus, finding strategies to support constructive discussions around wind farms is crucial for the further diffusion of wind energy. To contribute to this process this paper maps the status quo of public participation strategies in the European wind sector. More specifically, it summarizes the findings from an expert survey: 207 questionnaires from 13 European countries were collected filled in by representatives from relevant administrative bodies, project developers, cooperatives active in wind farm development, environmental organisations, financial institutions and others active in the field of wind farm development. We find a high prevalence of social acceptance issues in the sample as the majority of study participants has experienced stops or at least delays of projects due to a lack of social acceptance. Concerning public participation we see that it is very often common in wind energy project development to engage in public participation and that these activities often exceed legal requirements. Although public participation is frequent in wind energy projects, many organisations involved do not have a standard procedure to deal with it and guidelines and other advice giving documents are often not known nor used. The main barrier to apply this knowledge seems to be the difficulty to transfer it to the specific conditions of a project

Configurational innovation systems - Explaining the slow German heat transition

In the field of sustainability transitions, temporality has recently received increased attention, specifically with regard to understanding acceleration of transitions. Acceleration of sustainability transitions is needed, to minimize the risks of global crises, and so the question is how these transitions can be accelerated. To answer this question, we use the technological innovation systems (TIS) approach to better understand the underlying processes. The central argument of this paper is that the pace of development in TIS, which ultimately have an impact on sustainability transitions, strongly depends on the local context in which the technologies are embedded in. Technologies that are little context-dependent can be produced in series; they do not need to adapt to local contingencies and can be easily substituted by more efficient and up-to-date technology - in this paper we refer to these as generic technologies. Conversely, technologies that are strongly dependent on the local context always need to be configured with regard to specific local contingencies - we refer to these as configurational technologies. This differentiation has repercussions on the defining pillars of technological innovation systems: Higher local context dependence slows down the pace of development of configurational TIS. The differentiation is illustrated by comparing electricity and heat innovation systems in Germany. An analysis based on literature as well as empirical case studies shows that the rather generically structured Solar PV and onshore wind are developing faster toward decarbonization than the configurationally structured heat TIS. The distinction between generic technological innovation systems and configurational technological innovation systems is helpful to better understand innovation system development and design supportive policies