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The Incumbents’ Conservation Strategies in the German Energy Regime as an Impediment to Re-Municipalization—An Analysis Guided by the Multi-Level Perspective

Author

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  • Kurt Berlo

    (Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment, Energy, Döppersberg 19, Wuppertal 42103, Germany
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Oliver Wagner

    (Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment, Energy, Döppersberg 19, Wuppertal 42103, Germany
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Marisa Heenen

    (Department for International Development Studies, Philipps-University of Marburg, Biegenstraße 10, 35037 Marburg, Germany)

Abstract

After two decades of privatization and outsourcing being the dominant trends across public services, an inclination towards founding new municipal power utilities can be observed. In this article, the authors examine the preservation strategies of the German energy regime following the transition approach developed by Geels. From the multi-level perspective, it can be stated that innovations take place in niches and have to overcome the obstacles and persistence of the conventional fossil–nuclear energy regime. Through an empirical analysis, it can be concluded that the established regime significantly delays the decentralization process required for a transformation of energy structures on local electricity grids. Furthermore, it is shown that municipal utilities (Stadtwerke) are important key actors for the German Energiewende (energy transition) as they function as local energy distributors and they meet a variety of requirements to promote fundamental structural change. The trend towards re-municipalization and the re-establishment of municipal utilities reveal the desire to further strengthen the scope of local politics.

Suggested Citation

  • Kurt Berlo & Oliver Wagner & Marisa Heenen, 2016. "The Incumbents’ Conservation Strategies in the German Energy Regime as an Impediment to Re-Municipalization—An Analysis Guided by the Multi-Level Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2016:i:1:p:53-:d:86588
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Oliver Wagner & Thomas Adisorn & Lena Tholen & Dagmar Kiyar, 2020. "Surviving the Energy Transition: Development of a Proposal for Evaluating Sustainable Business Models for Incumbents in Germany’s Electricity Market," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-17, February.
    2. Hess, David J. & Jordan, Megan L., 2023. "Demunicipalization as political process: Strategic action and the sale of municipal electric utilities in the United States," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    3. Olga Vincent & Christian Scholl, 2019. "Towards a Framework for Understanding Discursive Regime Destabilisation: A Case Study of a Social Movement Organisation “Economy for the Common Good”," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-19, August.
    4. Oliver Wagner & Thomas Götz, 2021. "Presentation of the 5Ds in Energy Policy: A Policy Paper to Show How Germany Can Regain Its Role as a Pioneer in Energy Policy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-19, October.
    5. Stognief, Nora & Walk, Paula & Schöttker, Oliver & Oei, Pao-Yu, 2019. "Economic Resilience of German Lignite Regions in Transition," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 11(21).
    6. Oliver Wagner & Lena Tholen & Lotte Nawothnig & Sebastian Albert-Seifried, 2021. "Making School-Based GHG-Emissions Tangible by Student-Led Carbon Footprint Assessment Program," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-20, December.

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