Securing road transport services in Sweden: A multi actor perspective

Abstract

Energy security is often analysed from a state centric perspective - sometimes as a sub part of national security. That approach disguise the heterogeneity and importance of different actors. This study analyse actor’s roles and capabilities that affect their own and others energy security strategies. The Swedish road transport sector is used as an example. The study also explores how a transition to a low carbon transport system may affect energy security strategies. Actors with three different roles are identified those that govern, operate, and use energy services. Actors manoeuvre at one or several (horizontal) levels (international, national, sub-national) and interact with different (vertical) stages of energy supply chains. Actors’ energy security strategy can be characterised as prevent, make resilient and adapt. A transition to a low carbon road transport system can empower actors at sub-national level and increase their capacity to adapt to change. It can also strengthen options available to increase resilience, depending on the organisation and structure of the system