EUROPÄISCHES INSTITUT FÜR ENERGIEFORSCHUNG INSTITUT EUROPEEN DE RECHERCHE SUR L’ENERGIE EUROPEAN INSTITUTE FOR ENERGY RESEARCH
Local energy re-organisation processes: empirical findings from two case studies
Andreas Huber, European Institute for Energy Research, Germany Jannika Mattes and Jens Köhrsen, Oldenburg University, Germany
7 June 2013, eceee summer study
Agenda
1. Analysing local reorganisation processes 2. Some words on methodology 3. Two empirical cases 4. Dimensions of second order change 5. Outlook
2 Agenda
1. Analysing local reorganisation processes 2. Some words on methodology 3. Two empirical cases 4. Dimensions of second order change 5. Outlook
3 Local change: happening...... but how can we grasp it?
• Energy change is essentially happening on a local or regional scale: 100% renewable regions, Covenant of Mayors, Transition Towns, low 1 carbon communities, Agenda 21…
• However, the current transition theories have not yet sufficiently conceptualised the spatial character of societal reorganisation processes
• Paper as contribution to systematically grasp local institutional change, but not to provide a complete framework for analysing the full complexity of local change
4 RIS as source of inspiration 2. Regional innovation systems
• Regional Innovation Systems approach as 1 systems „in which firms and other organizations are systematically engaged in interactive learning through an institutional milieu characterized by embeddedness“ (Cooke et al. 1998: 1581) • geographically concentrated networks of organisations • that are institutionally stabilised • and in interactive evolution
5 RIS as source of inspiration 2. Regional innovation systems
• Five sub-systems – Scientific subsystem – Industrial subsystem 1 – Political subsystem – Intermediaries – Financial subsystem
• Plus, in the energy sector: – „civil society“: NGOs, citizens, farmers – local authorities to be distinguished from party politics
6 Four dimensions of institutional change
• Focus on reconfigurations on the level of the actor system as a whole (“second order change” as opposed to “first order change” of a singular actor) 1 • 4 dimensions of institutional change (inspired by Scott 2008): – organisational-procedural dimension: refined patterns of interaction; – normative dimension: reshaping of formal and informal definitions of appropriate practices; – strategic dimension referring to changes on the level of power constellations; – cognitive dimension: (re)creation of new knowledge and (re)definition of shared perceptions of problems and solutions.
7 Agenda
1. Analysing local reorganisation processes 2. Some words on methodology 3. Two empirical cases: Bottrop and Emden 4. Dimensions of second order change 5. Outlook
8 Methodology
• 31, respectively 32 semi-structured interviews • Duration ranging from 60 to 150 minutes
• Due to differing importance, some “institutional spheres” more heavily 2 represented than others
Institutional Sphere Interviews in Bottrop Interviews in Emden Industries 7 8
Banking 3 2
Civil society 5 5
Political actors 4 3
City administration 4 3
Intermediaries 5 8
Research 3 3
• Analysis using MAXQDA 9
Agenda
1. Analysing local reorganisation processes 2. Some words on methodology 3. Two empirical cases: Bottrop and Emden 4. Dimensions of second order change 5. Outlook
10 Bottrop and Emden
Emden, East Frisia, Germany 51.000 inhabitants
3
Bottrop, Ruhr region, Germany 117.000 inhabitants
11 Background information on Bottrop
• Traditional energy city in the Ruhr region – last coal mine to be phased out in 2018; still around 5000 people employed in the coal mining business; another 4000 indirect jobs – multiple heritages from that era: socio-economic, physical (mining settlements, coal stockpiles), relational (close relationships of the city administration with the coal mining company and utilities 3
• Early starter city in environmental protection (80ies) and, later, in energy transition: – energy conservation measures in public buildings: European Energy Gold Award in 2009 – private sector activities: PV, wind energy, geothermal heating, hydrogen generation, zero emmission industry park… 12
Background information on Bottrop
• 2010: successful application as „Innovation City“; • Title granted by the Regionalverband Ruhr, an association of 70 major industry companies in North Rhine- Westphalia • Objective: low-carbon transformation of a whole city area (70.000 inhabitants) • Over 100 individual projects to reduce GHG emissions by 50% by 2020 (on a 2010 level!)… • Multiple stakeholders involved
13 Background information on Emden
• Historical harbour city in East Frisia, close to the Dutch border • Decline of the traditional ship building industry • Energy as one of the ways out of 3 the crisis • Energy change actions pushed by three pioneering individuals (ex-mayor, CEO of local utility and an entrepreneur)
Examples For Involvement in Renewable Energy
– Multiple actions, both in energy generation and energy efficiency – Particular focus on wind energy: several engineering companies and huge wind farm 3 – German Solar Award, European Energy Silver Award – Branding: “European Capital of Renewable Energy” Agenda
1. Analysing local reorganisation processes 2. Some words on methodology 3. Two empirical cases: Bottrop and Emden 4. Dimensions of second order change 5. Outlook
16 Changes on the organisational-procedural dimension
Bottrop Emden
• Set up of an entirely new organisation – • Coordination mainly assured through very IC GmbH – which serves as interface close informal relationships between the between all involved actors key actors: • Weekly Friday Round Table at IC Ø ex-mayor (providing power) assembling all decision makers and technical Ø the pioneering entrepreneur experts to monitor progress of all ongoing 4 (innovator) and projects Ø the CEO of the local utility • Several advisory board between IC GmbH (implementer) and involved actor groups • However, recently attempts to create more • Steering committee for the link between IC formal structures of coordination: GmbH and political decision making in the appointment of a Climate Manager in the city City Council administration, attempts to create a formalized network of actors
17 Changes on the normative dimension
Bottrop Emden
• Creation of shared standards of • Mainly informal rules of appropriate qualification and advice services behaviour around the idea of a for practice actors (crafts businesses, sustainable city based on renewable architects, energy advisers) involved energies in residential retrofitting à mandatory • Ex.: strong opposition of local trainings to obtain IC label 4 population against the construction of a • IC ad-hoc assessment tool to new coal power plant pushes hesitating evaluate ex-ante any new project politicians to reject the idea ideas suggested as part of IC
18 Changes on the strategic dimension
Bottrop Emden
• The city administration and the IC • Energy recognised as strategic GmbH benefit from the incoming flows opportunity for many actors: of information, expertise and Ø creation of jobs and welfare financial resources (economy) • IC project as excellent opportunity – Ø gaining votes (politics) 4 or even obligation – to be publicly visible as innovative, pioneering, Ø getting funding (local university sustainable, and locally committed actor making renewable energies a central pillar)
19 Changes on the cognitive dimension
Bottrop Emden
• Re-combination of knowledge • Re-combination of knowledge fields: e.g. renovation to plus energy fields: e.g. power to gas project standard between the university and the public utility • Practice-related learning: e.g. SmartHome equipment tested in • Redefinition of actors’ identities and 4 Kindergarten: training services roles: e.g. former shipbuilding company necessary becomes equipment supplier for wind energy industry • Redefinition of actors’ identities and roles: e.g. from energy supplier • Paradigmatic turnaround: energy to energy manager and service transition not primarily as heavy, provider; from housing provider to burdensome project, but as an energy manager and provider opportunity for regional reinvention
20 Agenda
1. Analysing local reorganisation processes 2. Some words on methodology 3. Two empirical cases: Bottrop and Emden 4. Dimensions of second order change 5. Outlook
21 Related research questions
• Analytical framework helpful for grasping second order change
• Bottrop and Emden display some interesting similarities, but also clear differences
• Different types of second order institutional arrangements? E.g. centralised vs. loosely coupled
• Their impact on and relationship with the material level of project implementation 5
• Can one distinguish certain phases of local energy transition? E.g. towards growing formalisation?
• What/who triggers changes and how are conflicts dealt with in different institutional settings? 22 Thank you!
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Project COMPOSITE – More information is available on www.europasoziologie.uni-oldenburg.de/56528.html
23