The role of intermediaries in supporting local low-carbon energy initiatives

Warbroek, Beau; Hoppe, T.; Coenen, Frans; Bressers, Hans

doi:10.3390/su10072450

The role of intermediaries in supporting local low-carbon energy initiatives

Title

The role of intermediaries in supporting local low-carbon energy initiatives

Author

Warbroek, Beau (University of Twente)
Hoppe, T. (TU Delft Organisation & Governance)
Coenen, Frans (University of Twente)
Bressers, Hans (University of Twente)

Date

2018

Abstract

Recent scholarly attention shows that grassroots civil society low-carbon energy initiatives increasingly become part of the subnational climate change governance landscape. Despite their potency in view of consumer-owned distributed generation and enhanced citizen influence in the organization of the energy infrastructure, local low-carbon energy initiatives (LLCEIs) struggle to become viable alternatives to the centralized, private oriented energy system. To further LLCEI development, support needs to build their capacities; alleviate institutional hurdles and barriers stemming from the fossil fuel-based energy regime; and open up the system for the uptake, acceptance or breakthrough of LLCEIs. Evidence suggests that so-called "intermediaries" form a part of the solution in addressing these issues. Despite previous attempts at analyzing intermediary roles and activities vis-à-vis the development of community energy, the reality of the various roles and strategies intermediaries can employ and the support LLCEIs require to further develop have not yet been synthesized in a comprehensive analytical framework. This article aims to fill this gap by developing such a framework. We reflect on the analytical framework by evaluating the intermediary support structure in a specific case: the Province of Fryslân. From the analysis, we conclude that the Frisian case provided modest support to the claim that intermediary support is effective in addressing the needs of LLCEIs as the strategies and roles observed represent a complete and coherent support structure.

Subject

Asset-based community development
Business incubator
Community energy
Endogenous development
Grassroots innovations
Intermediary
Strategic niche management

To reference this document use:

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:96bd6ee5-a4fa-4b5a-9ae4-320c306dfa67

DOI

https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072450

ISSN

2071-1050

Source

Sustainability, 10 (7)

Part of collection

Institutional Repository