IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v15y2022i3p868-d733358.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

EU R&D Funding for Electricity Grid Technologies and the Energy Transition: Centralised versus Decentralised Transition Pathways

Author

Listed:
  • Antje Klitkou

    (Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education, P.O. Box 2815 Tøyen, NO-0608 Oslo, Norway)

  • Arne Martin Fevolden

    (Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education, P.O. Box 2815 Tøyen, NO-0608 Oslo, Norway)

  • Allan Dahl Andersen

    (TIK Center, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1108 Blindern, NO-0317 Oslo, Norway)

Abstract

In the acceleration phase transitions often increase in depth and scope, and thereby create knock-on effects for wider system structures. In the renewable energy transition, for example, higher shares of intermittent renewable energy sources call for new grid technologies to increase flexible grid operation. At the same time, there are different ways of achieving renewable energy transitions and providing flexibility. In Europe, important tensions exist over how centralised or decentralised a renewable energy electricity system should be. This paper explores to what extent and how European framework programmes for research and development have addressed and supported innovation in transmission grid (centralised system) and distribution grid (decentralised) technologies. We analyse European R&D projects that studied electricity grid planning, development and innovation over 2002–2020. We apply social network analysis of the collaboration partners in these projects, and analyse the calls for proposals issued by three European Framework Programmes: FP6, FP7 and Horizon 2020. The framework programmes have addressed energy-related issues, but the priorities have changed over time, reflecting the ongoing energy transition. We ask if the importance of transmission grid vs. distribution grid has changed over time, and if and how the collaboration patterns have changed.

Suggested Citation

  • Antje Klitkou & Arne Martin Fevolden & Allan Dahl Andersen, 2022. "EU R&D Funding for Electricity Grid Technologies and the Energy Transition: Centralised versus Decentralised Transition Pathways," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-25, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:3:p:868-:d:733358
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/3/868/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/3/868/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Haley, Brendan, 2018. "Integrating structural tensions into technological innovation systems analysis: Application to the case of transmission interconnections and renewable electricity in Nova Scotia, Canada," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(6), pages 1147-1160.
    2. Lindberg, Marie Byskov & Markard, Jochen & Andersen, Allan Dahl, 2019. "Policies, actors and sustainability transition pathways: A study of the EU’s energy policy mix," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(10).
    3. Jochen Markard, 2018. "The next phase of the energy transition and its implications for research and policy," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 3(8), pages 628-633, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Hansjörg Drewello, 2022. "Towards a Theory of Local Energy Transition," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-20, September.
    2. Igliński, Bartłomiej & Pietrzak, Michał Bernard & Kiełkowska, Urszula & Skrzatek, Mateusz & Kumar, Gopalakrishnan & Piechota, Grzegorz, 2022. "The assessment of renewable energy in Poland on the background of the world renewable energy sector," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PB).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Andersen, Allan Dahl & Markard, Jochen, 2020. "Multi-technology interaction in socio-technical transitions: How recent dynamics in HVDC technology can inform transition theories," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    2. Karolina Bähr & Alexander Fliaster, 2023. "The twofold transition: Framing digital innovations and incumbents' value propositions for sustainability," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(2), pages 920-935, February.
    3. Dierk Bauknecht & Allan Dahl Andersen & Karoline Dunne, 2020. "Challenges for electricity network governance in Energy transitions: Insights from Norway," Working Papers on Innovation Studies 20200115, Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture, University of Oslo.
    4. Norouzi, F. & Hoppe, T. & Kamp, L.M. & Manktelow, C. & Bauer, P., 2023. "Diagnosis of the implementation of smart grid innovation in The Netherlands and corrective actions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    5. Sinsel, Simon R. & Markard, Jochen & Hoffmann, Volker H., 2020. "How deployment policies affect innovation in complementary technologies—evidence from the German energy transition," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    6. Mäkitie, Tuukka & Hanson, Jens & Steen, Markus & Hansen, Teis & Andersen, Allan Dahl, 2022. "Complementarity formation mechanisms in technology value chains," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(7).
    7. Dehler-Holland, Joris & Schumacher, Kira & Fichtner, Wolf, 2021. "Topic Modeling Uncovers Shifts in Media Framing of the German Renewable Energy Act," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 2(1).
    8. Radtke, Jörg & Scherhaufer, Patrick, 2022. "A social science perspective on conflicts in the energy transition: An introduction to the special issue," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    9. Li, Aitong & Xu, Yuan & Shiroyama, Hideaki, 2019. "Solar lobby and energy transition in Japan," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    10. Fridgen, Gilbert & Keller, Robert & Körner, Marc-Fabian & Schöpf, Michael, 2020. "A holistic view on sector coupling," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    11. Melliger, Marc, 2023. "Quantifying technology skewness in European multi-technology auctions and the effect of design elements and other driving factors," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    12. Su, Xiang & Tan, Junlan, 2023. "Regional energy transition path and the role of government support and resource endowment in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    13. Xu, Jiacheng & Liang, Yingzong & Luo, Xianglong & Chen, Jianyong & Yang, Zhi & Chen, Ying, 2023. "Towards cost-effective osmotic power harnessing: Mass exchanger network synthesis for multi-stream pressure-retarded osmosis systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 330(PA).
    14. Borozan, Dj, 2022. "Detecting a structure in the European energy transition policy instrument mix: What mix successfully drives the energy transition?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    15. Joana Ramanauskaitė, 2021. "The Role of Incumbent Actors in Sustainability Transitions: A Case of LITHUANIA," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-19, November.
    16. Bjerkan, Kristin Ystmark & Seter, Hanne, 2021. "Policy and politics in energy transitions. A case study on shore power in Oslo," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    17. Tomas Macak & Jan Hron & Jaromir Stusek, 2020. "A Causal Model of the Sustainable Use of Resources: A Case Study on a Woodworking Process," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-22, October.
    18. Thomas Pownall & Iain Soutar & Catherine Mitchell, 2021. "Re-Designing GB’s Electricity Market Design: A Conceptual Framework Which Recognises the Value of Distributed Energy Resources," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-26, February.
    19. Grimley, Matthew & Chan, Gabriel, 2023. "“Cooperative is an oxymoron!”: A polycentric energy transition perspective on distributed energy deployment in the Upper Midwestern United States," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    20. Xexakis, Georgios & Hansmann, Ralph & Volken, Sandra P. & Trutnevyte, Evelina, 2020. "Models on the wrong track: Model-based electricity supply scenarios in Switzerland are not aligned with the perspectives of energy experts and the public," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:3:p:868-:d:733358. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.