Abstract
Grand societal challenges such as climate change, poverty and biodiversity loss call for rapid and radical changes to systems of production and consumption. Consequently, there is a growing interest in the dynamics of innovation, both social and technical, to accelerate innovation diffusion so as to increase the possibility of a step‐change or large‐scale transition. Research on the water–energy–food nexus adds an additional dimension to existing discussions, calling for transitions that recognise the sustainability challenges facing three major resource domains, and the synergies and tensions involved in their management. This paper examines anaerobic digestion (AD) – an example of innovation with potential benefits across the water–energy–food nexus – to understand the conditions that influence the rate of AD implementation and the achievement of its potential multi‐sectoral benefits across the water–energy–food nexus. Interview data regarding 15 AD plants are examined alongside complementary data from interviews and workshops using the Technological Innovation Systems framework. This framework provides an analytical structure through which the processes that enable and constrain the implementation of AD in the UK can be examined, enabling the identification of potential mechanisms to support AD's wider and more effective deployment. The findings call for recognition of the unintended consequences of sectoral support mechanisms for technological adaptation, and consequent performance of AD in other resource domains and call for greater integration between policy mechanisms to enable AD to perform across the nexus. They also highlight a need to assimilate knowledge from multiple sources (including site‐specific understanding gained from experimentation) to enhance the base on which policy and decision‐making occurs. These findings contribute to existing literature on sustainable transitions by examining the complexities of multi‐sectoral resource management in the context of nexus research.
Highlights
HOOLOHAN ET AL.The nexus is becoming an important way of framing the challenges associated with meeting growing demands for water, energy and food
Anaerobic digestion already involves a range of technologies and processes, with plants designed around different feedstocks, and producing different outputs
The inherent complexity of the nexus combined with the diversity of anaerobic digestion (AD) together raise an important question about how innovation can be accelerated in a manner that amplifies positive outcomes while minimising negative impacts
Summary
The nexus is becoming an important way of framing the challenges associated with meeting growing demands for water, energy and food. AD using wastes is desirable as it offers multiple benefits across energy, food and water domains. As a waste-disposal route, AD avoids the costs and emissions associated with landfill or incineration (National Grid, 2016) and thereby helps to reduce the environmental impact of waste disposal by making use of embedded water, energy and nutrients in waste materials. Digestate provides a substitute for synthetic fertilisers, thereby avoiding the cost, resources and emissions associated with their production (WRAP, 2012). If applied appropriately, digestate benefits soil structure and water retention on agricultural land, thereby reducing the environmental implications of food production and contributing positively to land and water management (WRAP, 2012). Biogas can be stored for timely conversion to electricity, which is useful in balancing fluctuating supply from intermittent renewables (Styles et al, 2016; Thr€an et al, 2015)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 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.
