Socio technical Transitions and Decentralized Energy Martin Boucher - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Socio ‐ technical Transitions and Decentralized Energy Martin Boucher

Research Question Under which socio ‐ technical conditions can Saskatchewan transition to increase the prevalence of decentralized energy in urban areas? How can the study of sustainability transition theories be used understand how transitions to urban decentralized energy occur?

Energy Transitions of the Past

Paradigm Shifts in the Electricity Sector Engineering Paradigm Economies of scale State owned Vertically integrated Economics Paradigm Competition Neoliberal economic theory GTD unbundling Empowerment Paradigm Information communication Internalization of externalities Multi-country transmission grids technologies Burger and Weinmann 2013 The Decentralized Energy Revolution

Burger and Weinmann 2013 The Decentralized Energy Revolution

Decentralized Energy Decentralized Energy Centralized Energy • Many mixed-scale energy • Few large-scale energy production facilities production facilities • Network paradigm • Command-and-control • Horizontal Integration paradigm • Vertical Integration

Decentralized Energy as a Spectrum Energy Negawatts Conservation Efficiency Local Solar Micro-wind Smart meters CHP Power Integrated Storage ICT Mirco-grid

So Why Does This Matter? Small and medium Community Self-reliance Resilient and business investment investment sustainable infrastructure Lower carbon Energy democracy Decrease Increase energy footprint transmission loss innovations

Social •Community Empowerment and Development •Equity of Energy •Energy Democracy •Horizontal Decision-making •Environmental Justice Economic •Busienss and Community Investment •Liberalized Electricity Markets Environmental •Electricity Security •Less Transmission Loss •Lower GHG Emissions •Grid Reliability •Lower Land Impact •Flexibility •Innovation •Competition •"Smart" Infrastructure

o how did we get there?

ocio ‐ technical sustainability transitions theories

ocio ‐ technical Transition Theories ulti-level perspective rategic niche management chnological innovation systems ansition management

esearch Thoughts ompare Saskatoon with other medium sized cities ossibly in Canada, US, and Europe using the socio ‐ echnical transitions framework. Policies and regulations a) Technologies b) Economics c) Social and cultural context d)

askPower Generating Capacity % renewable capacity by 30 deral regulations on coal crease demand through pulation and industrial tivities ing transmission rastructure

hank You