IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v121y2020ics1364032119308585.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Storylines of (de)centralisation: Exploring infrastructure dimensions in the German electricity system

Author

Listed:
  • Funcke, S.
  • Ruppert-Winkel, C.

Abstract

The Energiewende (energy transition) in Germany is a major challenge from a technological and socio-political perspective. Among the contested issues is whether the transition should follow a more centralised or decentralised pathway. This contribution sets out to answer the question which storylines are propagated by three discourse coalitions concerning the centralisation or decentralisation of the German electricity infrastructure. For this, the storylines are defined with a focus on four infrastructure dimensions: (1) connectivity (grid level of power plants), (2) proximity (geographical distribution of generation), (3) flexibility (technologies for balancing supply and demand), and (4) controllability (control and coordination of generation and consumption). The coalition economic efficiency emphasises cost-efficient infrastructure and tends to support centralised solutions. The second coalition, renewables first, points towards the need for a rapid uptake of renewable energies to mitigate climate change and supports centralised as well as decentralised options towards that goal. The third coalition, citizen energy, supports a decentralised approach and also highlights non-technical issues like the involvement of citizens or regional economic effects. This research shows that while technological decentralisation is taking place to a certain degree and has received significant attention in practice as well as in scientific research, the support for it in storylines by discourse coalitions is limited. While the first two coalitions connect well to the existing electricity system and the issue of mitigating climate change, proponents of decentralised approaches have difficulties implementing their views on the federal level and in policy-making processes.

Suggested Citation

  • Funcke, S. & Ruppert-Winkel, C., 2020. "Storylines of (de)centralisation: Exploring infrastructure dimensions in the German electricity system," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:121:y:2020:i:c:s1364032119308585
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2019.109652
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032119308585
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.rser.2019.109652?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hess, David J. & Renner, Madison, 2019. "Conservative political parties and energy transitions in Europe: Opposition to climate mitigation policies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 419-428.
    2. Isoaho, Karoliina & Karhunmaa, Kamilla, 2019. "A critical review of discursive approaches in energy transitions," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 930-942.
    3. Laugs, Gideon A.H. & Moll, Henri C., 2017. "A review of the bandwidth and environmental discourses of future energy scenarios: Shades of green and gray," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 520-530.
    4. Späth, Philipp & Rohracher, Harald, 2010. "'Energy regions': The transformative power of regional discourses on socio-technical futures," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(4), pages 449-458, May.
    5. Pepermans, G. & Driesen, J. & Haeseldonckx, D. & Belmans, R. & D'haeseleer, W., 2005. "Distributed generation: definition, benefits and issues," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 787-798, April.
    6. Joas, Fabian & Pahle, Michael & Flachsland, Christian & Joas, Amani, 2016. "Which goals are driving the Energiewende? Making sense of the German Energy Transformation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 42-51.
    7. Lutz, Lotte Marie & Fischer, Lisa-Britt & Newig, Jens & Lang, Daniel Johannes, 2017. "Driving factors for the regional implementation of renewable energy ‐ A multiple case study on the German energy transition," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 136-147.
    8. Hake, Jürgen-Friedrich & Fischer, Wolfgang & Venghaus, Sandra & Weckenbrock, Christoph, 2015. "The German Energiewende – History and status quo," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 92(P3), pages 532-546.
    9. Jenniches, Simon, 2018. "Assessing the regional economic impacts of renewable energy sources – A literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 35-51.
    10. Funcke, Simon & Bauknecht, Dierk, 2016. "Typology of centralised and decentralised visions for electricity infrastructure," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 67-74.
    11. Diestelmeier, Lea, 2019. "Changing power: Shifting the role of electricity consumers with blockchain technology – Policy implications for EU electricity law," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 189-196.
    12. Alanne, Kari & Saari, Arto, 2006. "Distributed energy generation and sustainable development," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 10(6), pages 539-558, December.
    13. Blarke, Morten B. & Jenkins, Bryan M., 2013. "SuperGrid or SmartGrid: Competing strategies for large-scale integration of intermittent renewables?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 381-390.
    14. Grashof, Katherina, 2019. "Are auctions likely to deter community wind projects? And would this be problematic?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 20-32.
    15. Yildiz, Özgür, 2014. "Financing renewable energy infrastructures via financial citizen participation – The case of Germany," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 677-685.
    16. Chantal Ruppert-Winkel & Jürgen Hauber, 2014. "Changing the Energy System towards Renewable Energy Self-Sufficiency—Towards a multi-perspective and Interdisciplinary Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(5), pages 1-10, May.
    17. Leipprand, Anna & Flachsland, Christian & Pahle, Michael, 2017. "Advocates or cartographers? Scientific advisors and the narratives of German energy transition," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 222-236.
    18. Berka, Anna L. & Creamer, Emily, 2018. "Taking stock of the local impacts of community owned renewable energy: A review and research agenda," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P3), pages 3400-3419.
    19. Wissner, Matthias, 2011. "The Smart Grid - A saucerful of secrets?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(7), pages 2509-2518, July.
    20. Allan, Grant & Eromenko, Igor & Gilmartin, Michelle & Kockar, Ivana & McGregor, Peter, 2015. "The economics of distributed energy generation: A literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 543-556.
    21. Brummer, Vasco, 2018. "Community energy – benefits and barriers: A comparative literature review of Community Energy in the UK, Germany and the USA, the benefits it provides for society and the barriers it faces," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 187-196.
    22. Curtin, Joseph & McInerney, Celine & Ó Gallachóir, Brian, 2017. "Financial incentives to mobilise local citizens as investors in low-carbon technologies: A systematic literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 534-547.
    23. Cotton, Matthew & Rattle, Imogen & Van Alstine, James, 2014. "Shale gas policy in the United Kingdom: An argumentative discourse analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 427-438.
    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. Li, Xiangrong & Zhu, Shaoying & Yüksel, Serhat & Dinçer, Hasan & Ubay, Gözde Gülseven, 2020. "Kano-based mapping of innovation strategies for renewable energy alternatives using hybrid interval type-2 fuzzy decision-making approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    2. Hannah Mareike Marczinkowski & Luísa Barros, 2020. "Technical Approaches and Institutional Alignment to 100% Renewable Energy System Transition of Madeira Island—Electrification, Smart Energy and the Required Flexible Market Conditions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-22, August.

    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. Bauknecht, Dierk & Funcke, Simon & Vogel, Moritz, 2020. "Is small beautiful? A framework for assessing decentralised electricity systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    2. Funcke, Simon & Bauknecht, Dierk, 2016. "Typology of centralised and decentralised visions for electricity infrastructure," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 67-74.
    3. Bauwens, Thomas & Schraven, Daan & Drewing, Emily & Radtke, Jörg & Holstenkamp, Lars & Gotchev, Boris & Yildiz, Özgür, 2022. "Conceptualizing community in energy systems: A systematic review of 183 definitions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    4. Busch, Henner & Ruggiero, Salvatore & Isakovic, Aljosa & Hansen, Teis, 2021. "Policy challenges to community energy in the EU: A systematic review of the scientific literature," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    5. Mehmet Efe Biresselioglu & Siyami Alp Limoncuoglu & Muhittin Hakan Demir & Johannes Reichl & Katrin Burgstaller & Alessandro Sciullo & Edoardo Ferrero, 2021. "Legal Provisions and Market Conditions for Energy Communities in Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Turkey: A Comparative Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-25, October.
    6. Yildiz, Özgür, 2016. "Public-private partnerships, incomplete contracts, and distributional fairness – when payments matter," MPRA Paper 74552, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Haji Bashi, Mazaher & De Tommasi, Luciano & Le Cam, Andreea & Relaño, Lorena Sánchez & Lyons, Padraig & Mundó, Joana & Pandelieva-Dimova, Ivanka & Schapp, Henrik & Loth-Babut, Karolina & Egger, Christ, 2023. "A review and mapping exercise of energy community regulatory challenges in European member states based on a survey of collective energy actors," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    8. Grashof, Katherina, 2019. "Are auctions likely to deter community wind projects? And would this be problematic?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 20-32.
    9. Mehigan, L. & Deane, J.P. & Gallachóir, B.P.Ó. & Bertsch, V., 2018. "A review of the role of distributed generation (DG) in future electricity systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 822-836.
    10. Kühnbach, Matthias & Pisula, Stefan & Bekk, Anke & Weidlich, Anke, 2020. "How much energy autonomy can decentralised photovoltaic generation provide? A case study for Southern Germany," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).
    11. Matthias Kühnbach & Felix Guthoff & Anke Bekk & Ludger Eltrop, 2020. "Development of Scenarios for a Multi-Model System Analysis Based on the Example of a Cellular Energy System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-23, February.
    12. Zhou, Shan & Yang, Pu, 2020. "Risk management in distributed wind energy implementing Analytic Hierarchy Process," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 616-623.
    13. Leire Gorroño-Albizu, 2020. "The Benefits of Local Cross-Sector Consumer Ownership Models for the Transition to a Renewable Smart Energy System in Denmark. An Exploratory Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-23, March.
    14. Vernay, Anne-Lorène & Sebi, Carine, 2020. "Energy communities and their ecosystems: A comparison of France and the Netherlands," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    15. Ruggiero, S. & Busch, H. & Hansen, T. & Isakovic, A., 2021. "Context and agency in urban community energy initiatives: An analysis of six case studies from the Baltic Sea Region," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 148(PA).
    16. Viktor Bukovszki & Ábel Magyari & Marina Kristina Braun & Kitti Párdi & András Reith, 2020. "Energy Modelling as a Trigger for Energy Communities: A Joint Socio-Technical Perspective," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-44, May.
    17. Lotte M. Lutz & Daniel J. Lang & Henrik Von Wehrden, 2017. "Facilitating Regional Energy Transition Strategies: Toward a Typology of Regions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-17, September.
    18. Proudlove, Richard & Finch, Sue & Thomas, Sebastian, 2020. "Factors influencing intention to invest in a community owned renewable energy initiative in Queensland, Australia," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    19. Bauwens, Thomas, 2019. "Analyzing the determinants of the size of investments by community renewable energy members: Findings and policy implications from Flanders," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 841-852.
    20. Blarke, Morten B., 2012. "Towards an intermittency-friendly energy system: Comparing electric boilers and heat pumps in distributed cogeneration," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 91(1), pages 349-365.

    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:eee:rensus:v:121:y:2020:i:c:s1364032119308585. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/description#description .

    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.