Innovation and institutional change: the transition to a sustainable ...

214 Chapter 8
Table 8.2 Institutional aspects of paths taken in the electricity system
Path taken
(success)
Shift from
coal to gas
(++)
The nuclear
route (-)
Hybrid gas
and steam
turbines
(++)
Coal
gasification
(-/+)
Distant
heating
(+/-)
Decentral
cogen (+)
Wind
power (-/+)
Solar
power (-/+)
Biomass
(+/-)
Green (+)
electricity
Role of broader institutional
arrangements
New national institutional arrangement for
gas production and provision negotiated
between government and industry; serves
as example for increasing government’s
grip on the electricity sector
Long built up of knowledge and political
arrangements for nuclear energy;
changeover to nuclear energy not taken for
granted by societal groups; growth
dynamics paradigm corroded by oil crises
and de-legitimated by societal groups
Gas turbine development driven by jet
engine development, applied by power
equipment producers; knowledge base
expands in the Netherlands
Diversification between nuclear, coal, and
gas emerged as shared strategy between
government and sector; gasification
emerged as strong R&D priority as nuclear
route stalls; political support relevant
Energy saving policy and societal groups
important drivers; knowledge-base limited
after oil crisis
Industrial policy for cogeneration and low-
priced gas is relevant; industry interest
diverges from electricity sector
Initial failure due to top-down strategy,
later more success due to institutional
changes, new actors and partnerships;
planning for sites remains major barrier
Different knowledge base; building
sector’s arrangements important
Acceptance of organic fraction as
renewable energy (EU) and green (NL)
electricity relevant ; Legitimacy of imports
Driven by market and client orientation of
distributors and sustainability demand
Match to central station institutional
logics
Path serves condition of certainty of
supply and reflects the large influence of
government on resource use relative to
the relative autonomy of the sector with
regard to production and provision
Route is perfect fit to institutional logics
of central station electricity system,
large-scale orientation, long-term
investments, and growth dynamics
paradigm
Path emerges as it solves particular
‘reverse salients’ of the system through
symbiosis of gas turbine with dominant
practices
Route is perfect fit to large-scale central
station orientation; collaboration
between SEP and government in
funding pilot power plant important,
break-up of SEP leads to stranded asset
Path is initially developed as by-product
of existing system, with a bias to large-
scale distribution. Later projects with
smaller scales were more successful
Mismatch with central station system;
alternative design driven by industry and
later distributors
Initial failure of development largely
because central station institutional
logics were followed; recent high
expectations for off-shore wind farms
Total mismatch with existing
institutional logics and knowledge base
Co-combustion does not require major
modification in design; mainly resource
supply and logistical problems
Unthinkable in monopolistic
organisation