Abstract
Stewart Russell’s research work on combined heat and power / district heating (CHP/DH) in the UK was among the first empirical contributions to demonstrate that technological change is not just determined by seemingly objective technical and economic performance characteristics, but rather the result of social choices. His rich conceptual thinking is reconstructed in a coherent framework, and its explanatory power explored by analysing the innovation diff usion paradox of CHP/DH: in spite of very similar technical and economic characteristics, the patterns of innovation and diff usion diff er signifi cantly across countries. To this end, the evolution of CHP/DH in the UK, Germany and the Netherlands is compared. Russell’s ideas can be regarded as a predecessor of recent multi-level approaches to the analysis of socio-technical change. He put much emphasis on studying power relations for explaining the (non-) occurrence of socio-technical change; an issue that is still debated today.
Highlights
Science and technology studies have their roots in a range of research strands in economics, sociology, political sciences and history that converge on the conviction that technologies do not just emerge as a result of their objective superiority in terms of technological or economic performance, but as a result of the social shaping of mental and conceptual frameworks as well as organisational, institutional and political conditions in which they are embedded
One of the first thorough empirical studies of a technology that was guided and inspired by a focus on social relations, in the analysis of technology addressed the case of combined heat and power, and its application to district heating, in the UK (Russell, 1986a)
Stewart Russell’s work on combined heat and power / district heating (CHP/DH) in the UK is recognised as a pioneering empirical contribution to the shaping of the emerging field of science and technology studies, but his conceptual thinking has far been under-exploited
Summary
Characteristics and Diffusion Patterns of CHP/DHScience and technology studies have their roots in a range of research strands in economics, sociology, political sciences and history that converge on the conviction that technologies do not just emerge as a result of their objective superiority in terms of technological or economic performance, but as a result of the social shaping of mental and conceptual frameworks as well as organisational, institutional and political conditions in which they are embedded.1 This debate started in the 1980s, based on selected evidence from historical studies, but it took several years to take coherent shape.One of the first thorough empirical studies of a technology that was guided and inspired by a focus on social relations, in the analysis of technology addressed the case of combined heat and power, and its application to district heating, in the UK (Russell, 1986a). In order to understand their interests, it is necessary to take a broader perspective on organisational objectives and strategies as embedded in a sectoral context: The electricity industry was not always actively opposed to CHP; but nor was it ever a strong supporter.
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.
