Transition of Energy Systems: Patterns of Stability and Change

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of proven analytical tools, among others, the multilevel perspective, strategic action fields, and modes of institutional change, for a better understanding of the dynamics that lead to change or stability of socio-technical regimes. From a theoretical point of view, a critical issue is the role of actors in such transitions. In the face of institutions – formal and informal rules that sometimes may define future trajectories completely, like a railway – it is not easy for large companies, governments, or any other large organization to facilitate or even implement fundamental change. In other cases, the path is more like a motorway, which can be exited easily after a few miles. With this ambiguous character of socio-technical transitions in mind, the chapter will present crucial reasons that explain stability or change. Moreover, the analytical tools mentioned above will be applied to either historical or contemporary energy regime transitions. However, the discussion section will show that these tools – which promise consistent and reliable explanations of the empirical world – sometimes fail in practice. The categories are often conceptualized too broadly to make fruitful statements. In other cases, they just do not fit certain real-world contexts. Therefore, the chapter argues for a sensible use of the different approaches.