Abstract
The Internet facilitates connections between a range of Dutch actors with a stake in the energy transition, including governments, environmental organizations, media outlets and corporations. These connections tease a hyperlink network affecting public access to information on energy transition issues. Despite its societal relevance, however, the characteristics of this network remain understudied. The main goals of this study are to shed some light on the topological characteristics of the Dutch energy transition hyperlink network and reveal the main topics discussed in the network. To do so, we longitudinally collected data from the interactions between key Dutch actors with a stake in the energy transition. Then, these data were analyzed by employing a mixed-method approach, social network analysis and topic modeling. The results of the social network analyses reveal the existence of a sparse network in which few private companies and associations emerge as the most authoritative actors and brokers. Furthermore, our analyses show substantial differences among the communication agendas of the organizations of the Dutch energy transition hyperlink network; while public institutions focus on global, national and local policy issues, private companies, associations and NGOs pay much more attention to employment issues.
Highlights
In The Netherlands, the energy transition (“energietransitie”) is mobilizing a wide variety of societal actors with a growing impetus—not even faltered during the recent pandemic crisis—in greening the energy sources
A list of 14 seeds was used for a snowball sampling of Dutch actors engaged in the energy transitiAonlhisytpoefrl1in4ks-esepdhserwe.aAs futesreda mfourltaisstenpowclebaanllinsgamanpdlinpgrepofroDceustscihngacptroorcsedenugrea—gebdotihn htyhpeeernlienrkgy nettrwanosrkitiaonnd theyxtpceorlnitnekn-ts—phtheeret.opAolfotegricaal chmauraltcitsetreipsticcsleoafntihnegneatwndorkpsraenpdrotcheesmsinagin tporpoiccsedemureer—gibnogth inhthypiserrelilnatkionneatlwsoprakceawnderteexatnacloynzteedn.t—the topological characteristics of the networks and the main topics emerging in this relational space were analyzed. 3.1
The web-based communication structure of the energy transition revolves around few organizations acting as hubs of the network
Summary
In The Netherlands, the energy transition (“energietransitie”) is mobilizing a wide variety of societal actors (public institutions, private companies, NGOs, universities and governmental bodies, among others) with a growing impetus—not even faltered during the recent pandemic crisis—in greening the energy sources. The path toward the energy transition, whose scope will arguably encompass the whole European Union if the recently proclaimed “Green New Deal” is successful, will trigger enormous changes in the energy sector [1] and in the economic and social spheres. Past energy transitions, such as those from biomass to coal or from coal to oil, deeply transformed our societies and economies. In comparison to the present energy transition, those transitions were merely technology led and occurred spontaneously, as a result of unleashing the transformative power encoded in the new forms of energy, sources and processes [2]. A wave of change is reaching, for instance, the automotive market, where it is estimated that 26.9 million electric vehicles will be sold by 2030, compared to only 3.2 million in 2019 [5]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
