Working Paper: The Third Phase of the Energy Transition

Sustainability transitions understood as the transformation of socio-technical systems to more sustainable ones occur in different phases: the emergence of new innovations, the acceleration of innovations , and the stabilisation of new regimes. Public policies play a central role in the guidance of transitions. Research on policy mixes in sustainability transitions has focused so far on the emergence, acceleration and diffusion of radical niches and has started to address the destabilisation of the existing regime. Comparatively little attention has been paid to the third phase, the building and stabilisation of the new regime. This process does not merely take place in the niche sphere, but asks for restructuring dynamics in the existing regime as well. It involves the institutionalisation of innovations, the alignment of old and new regime elements as well as an interaction between old and new regime actors. With the help of a literature review and building on theories of socio-technical transitions and policy mixes in such transitions, this paper explores the challenges that come along with the establishment of a new regime and what strategies could be pursued to tackle those challenges in order to guide transitions. Theoretical considerations are exemplified with current discussions in the energy transition.

The working paper was presented at the International Sustainability Transitions Conference 2021 and can be found here.