scholarly journals Reaching a 1.5°C target: socio-technical challenges for a rapid transition to low-carbon electricity systems

2018 ◽  
Vol 376 (2119) ◽  
pp. 20160462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Eyre ◽  
Sarah J. Darby ◽  
Philipp Grünewald ◽  
Eoghan McKenna ◽  
Rebecca Ford
Keyword(s):  
System Integration ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Social Challenges ◽  
Electricity System ◽  
Rapid Transition ◽  
Technical Challenges ◽  
Smart Technologies ◽  
Warming World ◽  
Electricity Systems

A 1.5°C global average target implies that we should no longer focus on merely incremental emissions reductions from the electricity system, but rather on fundamentally re-envisaging a system that, sooner rather than later, becomes carbon free. Many low-carbon technologies are surpassing mainstream predictions for both uptake and cost reduction. Their deployment is beginning to be disruptive within established systems. ‘Smart technologies’ are being developed to address emerging challenges of system integration, but their rates of future deployment remain uncertain. We argue that transition towards a system that can fully displace carbon generation sources will require expanding the focus of our efforts beyond technical solutions. Recognizing that change has social and technical dimensions, and that these interact strongly, we set out a socio-technical review that covers electricity infrastructure, citizens, business models and governance. It describes some of the socio-technical challenges that need to be addressed for the successful transition of the existing electricity systems. We conclude that a socio-technical understanding of electricity system transitions offers new and better insights into the potential and challenges for rapid decarbonization. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The Paris Agreement: understanding the physical and social challenges for a warming world of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels'.

scholarly journals Rooftop PV and the Renewable Energy Transition; a Review of Driving Forces and Analytical Frameworks

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 5613
Author(s):  
Sam Wilkinson ◽  
Michele John ◽  
Gregory M. Morrison
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Solar Photovoltaics ◽  
Electricity System ◽  
Transitions Theory ◽  
Electricity Systems ◽  
Analytical Frameworks

Rooftop solar photovoltaics (PV) are accelerating the transition towards low carbon electricity systems in many countries, particularly in Australia. This review paper provides an overview of the (1) technical, (2) economic, (3) socio-political, and (4) regulatory and institutional aspects that should be considered concurrently when navigating the transition towards a rooftop PV-dominated electricity system. We consider the suitability of two prominent long-range transitions theories for understanding the importance and interaction of elements within these four aspects during the transition. The multi-level perspective (MLP) of transitions theory is considered best suited for this task as it addresses fundamental shifts in the socio-technical systems, rather than being weighted towards technological and/or economic solutions. We find that relatively little research has been undertaken where the renewable energy transition is being driven by the uptake of rooftop PV within the distribution network of established islanded electricity systems. These islanded electricity systems will be the first to experience system impacts from high levels of rooftop PV. This review provides further analysis of important gaps in understanding the rooftop-PV-led energy transition and the implications for policy makers in maintaining stable electricity supplies during the transition.

Energy Devices and Political Consumerism in Reconfigured Energy Systems

2018 ◽  
pp. 410-432
Author(s):  
Sanneke Kloppenburg ◽  
Bas van Vliet
Keyword(s):  
Low Carbon ◽  
Solar Panels ◽  
Political Consumerism ◽  
Smart Meters ◽  
Energy Devices ◽  
System Reconfiguration ◽  
Electricity System ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Electricity Systems

This chapter discusses political consumerism in the context of a transformation towards a low-carbon electricity system. Over the past decades, deregulation, liberalisation, and privatisation have opened up spaces for Western consumers to influence the greening of energy provision and consumption via the market. Electricity system reconfiguration means a growing diversity of home-based energy devices that engage consumers with energy in new and altered ways. With the use of smart meters, solar panels, and home batteries, passive energy users change into prosumers and comanagers of the grid. To understand the power of consumers in coshaping low-carbon electricity systems, the chapter shows the need to consider the politics of intermediation and technology. The chapter concludes that energy devices afford new individual and collective forms of engaging with energy, which opens up room for political consumerism not only in relation to energy production and consumption but also with regards to digital technologies and information flows.

Renewables are raising global power sector efficiency

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Power Sector ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Profit ◽  
Transportation Sector ◽  
Global Power ◽  
Electricity Systems

Subject Use of renewable technologies in power generation. Significance Integrating renewable technologies into existing electricity systems has altered the economics of the power market. Traditional generators of coal-fired, gas-fired and nuclear power are adjusting their business models. Impacts Business model transitions in the power sector will create competition for companies with emerging green transition technologies. Splitting high and low carbon risk activities will leave some firms facing uncertain futures, but they may still enjoy high-profit periods. Pressure on gas-fired power generation will put pressure on producers to find new markets, particularly in the transportation sector.

scholarly journals Technology is not a Barrier: A Survey of Energy System Technologies Required for Innovative Electricity Business Models Driving the Low Carbon Energy Revolution

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 428 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Mazur ◽  
Stephen Hall ◽  
Jeffrey Hardy ◽  
Mark Workman
Keyword(s):  
Business Model ◽  
System Integration ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Power Sector ◽  
Key Enabling Technologies ◽  
Low Carbon Energy

Energy system decarbonisation and changing consumer behaviours will create and destroy new markets in the electric power sector. This means that the energy industry will have to adapt their business models in order to capture these pools of value. Recent work explores how changes to the utility business model that include digital, decentralised or service-based offers could both disrupt the market and accelerate low carbon transitions. However, it is unclear whether these business models are technologically feasible. To answer this question, we undertook an expert panel study to determine the readiness levels of key enabling technologies. The result is an analysis of what technologies may hinder electricity business model innovation and where more research or development is necessary. The study shows that none of the business models that are compatible with a low carbon power sector are facing technology barriers that cannot be overcome, but there is still work to be done in the domain of system integration. We conclude that, especially in the field of energy system coordination and operation, there is a need for comprehensive demonstration trials which can iteratively combine and test information and communications technology (ICT) solutions. This form of innovation support would require a new approach to energy system trials.

scholarly journals Supply Chain Management Open Innovation: Virtual Integration in the Network Logistics System

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 54
Author(s):  
Vladimir Shcherbakov ◽  
Galina Silkina
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
System Integration ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Logistics System ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Economic Relations

The customer-oriented approach is actively developing within the global trend of the modern industrial revolution that is Industry 4.0. The focus on customer interests has led to cooperation and integration in supply chains, improving their efficiency and increasing transparency, awareness, and trust. However, an issue emerging in this scenario is that conventional supply chain management (SCM) procedures are unable to identify the potential proposal for a particular user. Modern businesses need to build integrated supply chains, which require well-developed infrastructure and easily available complementary services, relying on logistics as a networking technology. Supply chains of this generation grow from traditional individual desynchronized economic relations (linear models with some feedback and the simplest network configurations) to scalable, adaptable, harmonized partner networks. The logistics potential allows additional income by reducing the total costs of participants in the network, thus increasing the competitiveness of companies; this can be implemented based on new models of interaction in the current digital environment through, firstly, system integration. Our goal consists of identifying the essential characteristics of system integration and substantiating the methods for its implementation in the digital economy. The study is based on the analysis of global best practices, considering the reports from leading consulting companies and competent analytical agencies. We have confirmed that the role of a virtual system integrator of supply chains belongs to logistics platforms; the effects of a transition to platform business models are discussed in detail.

Robust regional low-carbon electricity system planning with energy-water nexus under uncertainties and complex policy guidelines

2020 ◽  
Vol 252 ◽  
pp. 119800
Author(s):  
Ling Ji ◽  
Beibei Zhang ◽  
Guohe Huang ◽  
Yanpeng Cai ◽  
Jianguang Yin
Keyword(s):  
Low Carbon ◽  
System Planning ◽  
Electricity System

Suppliers in the privatised UK wastewater market and their possible moves towards integrated solutions

Water Policy ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 559-572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotta Windahl
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Support Services ◽  
System Integration ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Spare Parts ◽  
New Business ◽  
Water Companies ◽  
The Uk ◽  
New Business Models ◽  
New Strategies

An increasing number of companies in the capital goods industry are turning towards new strategies where the focus is to add value for customers by providing integrated solutions (combining products and services), instead of selling components, spare parts and support services. These new strategies represent moves in the value chain and create a need for new business models as well as new competencies. In this paper, the fairly new concept of integrated solutions is explored in the context of a privatised industry. The findings are based on empirical case studies carried out at two companies supplying products and services to the UK wastewater industry. In the UK, both water companies and their suppliers are influenced by economic and environmental regulations, an increased focus on cost, and outsourcing. On one hand, the two manufacturers have increased their competence with respect to system integration and operational services – competencies for supplying integrated solutions. On the other hand, a fragmented and vertically structured market with a multitude of different actors increases the distance between the water companies and the manufacturers. In addition, the division of the industry into a capital and operational side complicates the coordination between new sales and services.

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