Redefining business models for the energy transition: Social innovation and sustainable value creation in the European energy system

Abstract

Business as usual in the energy sector has become more challenging in the EU as distributed energy technologies and supportive policy included in the EU Energy Package have meant that new types of stakeholders, including citizens, citizen collectives, and municipalities, can participate in the energy system in innovative ways. Their “new” relationships, behaviors, and actions in the context of the energy transition, vis à vis the existing system, are often referred to as social innovation in energy systems. Socially innovative activities may deliver products and services similar to those of incumbent energy business models e.g., sustainable energy generation, but also create social value that traditional energy business models may not. This paper views these socially innovative activities using elements of a sustainability-oriented business model – the business model for sustainability (BMfS) – analyzing them in terms of their goals, involved stakeholders, and value creation processes. Analysis is conducted in case studies that span Western and Eastern Europe, using a mix of primary data (semi-structured stakeholder interviews) and secondary data (online materials). In addition to showcasing how socially innovative activities may contribute to value creation processes in the context of an energy business model, the case studies also depict differences in the extent and types of social innovation that can occur in the European context, with some reflection on how infrastructure and historical dynamics may play a role in these differences. I conclude with some reflections on definitions of business models and the applicability of the BMfS for a decentralizing energy system.