Digital innovation's contribution to sustainability transitions

Abstract

Digital innovation is increasingly mentioned as a potential key contributor to sustainability transitions. However, there has been little theoretical discussion of this topic. In this conceptual paper, the authors draw on literature on both sustainability transition studies and innovation studies to explore critically the contribution of digital innovation in sustainability transitions. They conceptualize transitions as fundamental changes in patterns of production and consumption, such as those relating to energy. Radical innovation leads to changes in the structure of socio-technical systems underlying such patterns, while incremental innovation contributes to maintaining the structure and current patterns. The authors suggest that digital innovations may contribute positively to sustainability transitions through couplings with sustainable innovations. They propose the following typology of such couplings: incremental twin innovations, sustainability supported digital innovations, digitally supported sustainable innovations, and radical twin innovations. Radical twin innovations may possess the greatest potential for sustainability transitions, as they are linked to structural change and thus open new pathways for sustainability transitions, whereas incremental twin innovations merely optimize current unsustainable systems. The typology is illustrated with examples from shipping and from electricity systems, and some of the complexities of twin transitions encountered by researchers and practitioners alike are discussed.