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Inter-governmental institutions as promoters of energy policy diffusion in a federal setting

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  • Strebel, Felix

Abstract

This article is about diffusion processes behind the innovation of sub-national energy policy measures in a federal system. Typically for the federal political system in Switzerland, the elements of the energy policy field are shaped by the principle of subsidiarity. The aim is that cantons promote innovative problem solutions and regionally adapted implementation. For this reason, policy differences between cantons are large and create a need for coordination. More concretely, I will analyze the impact of inter-cantonal institutions on different innovations in the field of energy policy. The research question is approached with an event history analysis on three different innovative measures in the Swiss cantons from 1990 to 2007. A more comprehensive picture of diffusion in one policy field is drawn with this approach. The main contribution of this paper is the finding that intergovernmental institutions promote diffusion in one policy field only for measures with certain characteristics. The internal determinants are therefore not a sufficient explanation.

Suggested Citation

  • Strebel, Felix, 2011. "Inter-governmental institutions as promoters of energy policy diffusion in a federal setting," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 467-476, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:39:y:2011:i:1:p:467-476
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    2. Schmidt, Stephan & Weigt, Hannes, 2013. "A Review on Energy Consumption from a Socio-Economic Perspective: Reduction through Energy Efficiency and Beyond," Working papers 2013/15, Faculty of Business and Economics - University of Basel.
    3. Sager, Fritz & Bürki, Marietta & Luginbühl, Jennifer, 2014. "Can a policy program influence policy change? The case of the Swiss EnergieSchweiz program," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 352-365.
    4. Nico Heiden & Felix Strebel, 2012. "What about non-diffusion? The effect of competitiveness in policy-comparative diffusion research," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 45(4), pages 345-358, December.
    5. Felix Strebel & Thomas Widmer, 2012. "Visibility and facticity in policy diffusion: going beyond the prevailing binarity," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 45(4), pages 385-398, December.
    6. Lydon, G.P. & Hofer, J. & Svetozarevic, B. & Nagy, Z. & Schlueter, A., 2017. "Coupling energy systems with lightweight structures for a net plus energy building," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 310-326.
    7. Wuliyasu Bai & Long Zhang & Liang Yan & Xinyi Wang & Zhiqiao Zhou, 2023. "Crop Straw Resource Utilization as Pilot Policy in China: An Event History Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-19, February.
    8. Nicolas Schmid & Leonore Haelg & Sebastian Sewerin & Tobias S. Schmidt & Irina Simmen, 2021. "Governing complex societal problems: The impact of private on public regulation through technological change," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(3), pages 840-855, July.
    9. Zimm, Caroline, 2021. "Improving the understanding of electric vehicle technology and policy diffusion across countries," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 54-66.

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