Abstract
In the context of the slowly progressing energy transition, a number of renewable energy initiatives have been emerging in the Netherlands. These initiatives represent alternatives to the dominant functioning of the energy system, and as such, may come into conflict with it. Transitions involve system destabilisation and conflict between the incumbent regime and the initiatives originating in niches. In order to assess the transformative potential of such initiatives, this paper addresses the question: what kind of conflicts and tensions arise from renewable energy initiatives, and what strategies do they develop to overcome or avoid them? Combined with a business model perspective, transition thinking enabled a better understanding of how the initiatives organise themselves, and where the points of friction with their institutional context emerge. We suggest that the instances of conflict may function as an indication for the state of the energy transition and the transformative potential impact of such initiatives. The instances discussed in this contribution relate to existing support schemes, technology choices, and the overall organisational networks of the emerging sector.
Highlights
Like many other countries, the Netherlands has recently witnessed the emergence of renewable energy initiatives (REIs) that aim at integrating the production and consumption of renewable energy, which is referred to as prosumption [1,2,3,4]
Concurring with Hård [16] who argued that social conflict should “be treated as a cause of innovation, diffusion, transfer, and application- as a result of these processes” (p. 409), we suggest that conflict may serve as an indicator of the state of the energy transition process, and the potential transformative impact of the initiatives in the niche
In order to understand, and potentially support, the transformative potential of REIs, this paper addresses the question: what kind of conflicts and tensions arise around renewable energy initiatives, and what strategies do they develop to overcome or avoid them?
Summary
The Netherlands has recently witnessed the emergence of renewable energy initiatives (REIs) that aim at integrating the production and consumption of renewable energy, which is referred to as prosumption [1,2,3,4]. The country counted 392 energy cooperatives in 2017, marking an increase of about 20% compared to 2016 [5]. As of late 2017, 63,000 people were involved in the cooperative field, either as members-investors or as customers [5]. The contribution of cooperatives to the national target, growing, still appears to be negligible. The total cooperative solar capacity comprises about 1.8% of the (already low) total solar capacity installed in the country [5]. The contribution of the cooperative movement amounts to about 2.8% of the national total [6]
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