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"The Energy Transition, the inevitable shift away from cheap, centralized, largely fossil-based energy systems, is one of the core challenges of our time. This book provides a coherent and novel insight into the nature of this challenge and possible strategies to accelerate and guide such transitions. It brings together prominent European scholars and practitioners from the fields of energy transition research and governance to draw attention to the current complex dynamics in the energy domain, and offer elegant and provocative explanations for current crises and lock-ins. They identify multiple energy transition pathways that emerge and increasingly compete, and emphasize the need and possibilities for novel governance. By analysing the complexity of energy transition processes and the difficulties in shifting to sustainable pathways, this text questions the extent to which actually governing energy transitions is already reality, just an illusion, or a bare necessity."--

Energy transitions to sustainability receive much interest in politics and science. Using a socio-technical and multi-level theory on transitions, this article draws important lessons from a long-term analysis of the Dutch electricity system. The article analyses technical developments, changes in rules and visions, and social networks that support and oppose renewable options. The article is multi-level because it looks at novel renewable energy technologies and structural trends in the existing electricity regime. The analysis shows that an energy transition, with roots in the 1960s and 1970s, is already occurring, but driven mainly by liberalisation and Europeanisation. Environmental aspects have become part of this ongoing transition, but do not form its main driver. Many barriers exist for a sustainability transition, but there are also some opportunities. A long-term analysis of renewable niche-innovation trajectories (wind, biomass, PV) provides lessons about socio-technical dynamics, problems and windows of opportunity. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An urban mobility transition requires a transition in space allocation, since most mobility modes are dependent on urban open space for circulation and the storage of vehicles. Despite increasing attention to space and spatiality in transitions research, the finite, physical aspects of urban space, and the means by which it is allocated, have not been adequately acknowledged as an influence on mobility transitions. A conceptual framework is introduced to support comparison between cities in terms of the processes by which open space is (re-)distributed between car and bicycle circulatory and regulatory space. This framework distinguishes between regulatory allocation mechanisms and the appropriation practices of actors. Application to cases in Amsterdam, Brussels and Birmingham reveal unique relationships created by the zero-sum nature of urban open space between the dominant automobility mode and subordinate cycling mode. These relationships open up a new approach to forms of lock-in that work in favour of particular mobility modes within the relatively obdurate urban built environment. Empirically, allocation mechanisms that routinise the production of car space at national level within the EU are shown to be far more prevalent than those for bicycle space, highlighting the constraints faced by radical city-level policies aimed at space reallocation.

As directionality is acknowledged as an essential component of contemporary innovation policies, questions have been raised about how and by whom the directions of innovation policy are set. Despite considerable attention on this matter, contributions have not explored the policy process of directionality, nor examined empirical cases to study directionality in practice. Considering these gaps, this paper presents an in-depth case study of the Dutch Automated Driving initiative that was developed under a smart mobility agenda with transformative aims (2013–2018). This initiative was rapidly championed by policymakers, and the agenda geared almost exclusively to its development. To study the policy processes therein, we used an adapted version of the Multiple Streams Framework (MS) (Kingdon, 1984). MS suggests that directions of policy change are determined by institutional entrepreneurs who have access to policy venues. We found that these entrepreneurs used political strategies (e.g. framing, problem-solution coupling) to champion automated vehicles as a transformative technology. However, eventually the transformative potential promises were not kept, leading to policy failure. In contrast, entrepreneurs' self-interests dominated the policy implementation phase. This paper suggests that more attention should be given in how directions set in the early policy phases can be kept throughout the policy process.

The recent orientation toward societal challenges in Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) policies has exposed the limitations of contemporary governance to deal with these endeavors. For this reason, it has been urged a shift toward the so-called 'transformative change' approach, drawn from socio-technical transitions literature. This research suggests that this approach can be considered an emerging policy paradigm, and studies the implications of its adoption in STI policy. For doing so, we developed a conceptual framework based on policy sciences and STI policy literature, and used to study a policy resembling this societal challenge orientation: the Dutch smart mobility policy. Our case study suggests that the transformative change approach can be considered a new paradigm in STI policy, as novel theories, approaches, and mechanisms are being used to govern this policy. This research contributes to a better understanding of transformative approaches, by empirically looking the changing role of governance in societal challenge-led STI policies.

As directionality is acknowledged as an essential component of contemporary innovation policies, questions have been raised about how and by whom the directions of innovation policy are set. Despite considerable attention on this matter, contributions have not explored the policy process of directionality, nor examined empirical cases to study directionality in practice. Considering these gaps, this paper presents an in-depth case study of the Dutch Automated Driving initiative that was developed under a smart mobility agenda with transformative aims (2013–2018). This initiative was rapidly championed by policymakers, and the agenda geared almost exclusively to its development. To study the policy processes therein, we used an adapted version of the Multiple Streams Framework (MS) (Kingdon, 1984). MS suggests that directions of policy change are determined by institutional entrepreneurs who have access to policy venues. We found that these entrepreneurs used political strategies (e.g. framing, problem-solution coupling) to champion automated vehicles as a transformative technology. However, eventually the transformative potential promises were not kept, leading to policy failure. In contrast, entrepreneurs' self-interests dominated the policy implementation phase. This paper suggests that more attention should be given in how directions set in the early policy phases can be kept throughout the policy process.

Recent developments in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and ongoing digitalisation processes play key roles in the energy transition. It is often argued that these so called 'smart grids' have the potential to empower citizens and communities and thereby contribute not only to a more sustainable but also to a more democratic and fairer energy system. It is however unclear how the increasing number of frontrunner energy communities that enter the field of smart grids can benefit from these novel ICT solutions and meaningfully contribute to the sustainable energy transition. This paper explores how energy communities can mobilise ICT to enhance their agency in the energy transition. Two energy communities were closely followed over a period of three years. Data was collected during project meetings and through semi-structured interviews. This paper observes that energy communities can mobilise ICT to change the way technology operates, strengthen collaboration to increase collective agency and to support their institutional work aimed at creating, disrupting or maintaining institutions. ; Recent developments in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and ongoing digitalisation processes play key roles in the energy transition. It is often argued that digital technology has the potential to empower citizens and communities and thereby contribute not only to a more sustainable but also to a more democratic and fairer energy system. It is however unclear how the increasing number of frontrunner energy communities that enter the field of smart grids can benefit from these novel ICT solutions and meaningfully contribute to the sustainable energy transition. This paper explores how energy communities can mobilise ICT to enhance their agency in the energy transition. As part of a holistic multiple-case study approach, two energy communities were closely followed over a period of three years. Data were collected during project meetings and through semi-structured interviews. This paper observes that energy communities can mobilise ICT to change the way technology operates, strengthen collaboration to increase collective agency and, support their efforts in creating, disrupting, or maintaining institutions. The studied energy communities adopted a 'fit and transform' strategy in which they mobilised ICT to fit in the incumbent energy system in the short term, while aiming for transformation in the long term. ICT however also creates new challenges in the form of interoperability issues. This paper calls for more attention on the role of ICT when studying agency in unfolding sustainability transitions, especially in fields in which digital technology is believed to play a major role in the transformation.