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Socio-technical change linking expectations and representations: Innovating thermal treatment of municipal solid waste

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  • Les Levidow
  • Paul Upham

Abstract

This paper combines two theoretical perspectives: future technological expectations mobilising resources, and social representations assimilating new ideas through anchoring onto familiar frames of reference. The combination is applied to the controversial case of thermal-treatment options for municipal solid waste, especially via gasification technology. Stakeholders’ social representations set criteria for technological expectations and their demonstration requirements, whose fulfilment in turn has helped gasification to gain more favourable representations. Through a differential ‘anchoring’, gasification is represented as matching incineration’s positive features while avoiding its negative ones. Despite their limitations, current two-stage combustion gasifiers are promoted as a crucial transition towards a truly ‘advanced’ form producing a clean syngas: R&D investment reinforces expectations for advancing the technology. Such linkages between technological expectations and social representations may have broader relevance to socio-technical change, especially where public controversy arises over the wider systemic role of an innovation trajectory.

Suggested Citation

  • Les Levidow & Paul Upham, 2017. "Socio-technical change linking expectations and representations: Innovating thermal treatment of municipal solid waste," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 44(2), pages 211-224.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:scippl:v:44:y:2017:i:2:p:211-224.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/scipol/scw054
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Meijer, Ineke S.M. & Hekkert, Marko P. & Koppenjan, Joop F.M., 2007. "The influence of perceived uncertainty on entrepreneurial action in emerging renewable energy technology; biomass gasification projects in the Netherlands," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(11), pages 5836-5854, November.
    2. Howells, Jeremy, 2006. "Intermediation and the role of intermediaries in innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(5), pages 715-728, June.
    3. Johan Hultman & Hervé Corvellec, 2012. "The European Waste Hierarchy: From the Sociomateriality of Waste to a Politics of Consumption," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 44(10), pages 2413-2427, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Dmitry Porshnov, 2022. "Evolution of pyrolysis and gasification as waste to energy tools for low carbon economy," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(1), January.

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