Negotiating sustainable innovation? Hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in Germany

Weert Canzler,Lutz Marz,Ante Galich

doi:10.14712/23361964.2015.26

Abstract

Recently, the German Federal Government made the consequential decision to change its energy program. This not only as a result of thedecision to shut down the existing nuclear power plants within the next few years, but also due to vital challenges like climate change andsecurity of energy supply. The shift in the energy-technology paradigm from fossil fuel technologies to regenerative energies might appearas a merely technical process at first glance. Yet, the road to environmental sustainability is paved with economic and social stumblingblocks. The concept of sustainable development is not a blueprint for technical progress but requires deliberations on questions aboutinnovations and governance: How do we want to live and how do we want to get there?This paper traces the negotiations of sustainable innovation on the example of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in Germany. Theinstitutional set up in this field is analyzed and the new organizational actors are identified. These actors attempt to inform and persuadeothers of the benefits of hydrogen and fuel cells in order to establish a common view that is to guide the further development. However,while they succeeded in mobilizing enough actors to launch the largest Public Private Partnership in this sector in the EU, they could notattain the leadership in the public discourse on these technologies. It seems that an attractive guiding vision of a sustainable, post-fossilenergy future and a broad acceptance in daily use would have been major prerequisites for such leadership.

Highlights

Since the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster in March 2011, there has been a further increase in the already widespread dissent in Germany on energy policy
This dissent has blocked the emergence of a common EU energy policy (McGowan 1989; Pointvogl 2009), with the European Commission playing the role of a mediator among a group of heterogeneous member states with diverse national interests (Hancher 1994; Natorski and Herranz-Surrallés 2009)
Greenhouse gas emissions will lead to considerable changes in global climate, and the growing awareness of Canzler, W. et al.: Negotiating sustainable innovation? Hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in Germany European Journal of Environmental Sciences, Vol 3, No 1, pp. 65–71 climate change has strengthened environmental policies and supported the development of renewable energy technologies (Christiansen 2002; Stern 2006)

Summary

Introduction

Since the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster in March 2011, there has been a further increase in the already widespread dissent in Germany on energy policy. The imminent threat of climate change is making a shift from fossil-fuel based energy sources to renewable ones inevitable. For many years, this dissent has blocked the emergence of a common EU energy policy (McGowan 1989; Pointvogl 2009), with the European Commission playing the role of a mediator among a group of heterogeneous member states with diverse national interests (Hancher 1994; Natorski and Herranz-Surrallés 2009). New actors have emerged arguing for a comprehensive consensus on energy policy in the context of the expected paradigm shift These actors can be labelled ‘consensus agencies’ as they have reached a sort of lowest common denominator regarding the promotion of alternative energy technologies while attempting to attract further actors to join their alliance. What prospects for success do these consensus agencies have in their bid to establish a comprehensive view on alternative energy technologies?

Background

Findings

Conclusion