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Development of sustainable energy systems in Swedish municipalities : A matter of path dependency and power relations

Palm, Jenny LU (2006) In Local Environment 11(4). p.445-457
Abstract

Case studies of two Swedish municipalities indicate that the general energy area was divided into three independent policy areas: One dealing with supply, one with conservation and one with environmental questions related to the Agenda 21 vision of an ecologically sustainable energy system. However, the dominant energy policy area in the municipalities was supply policy. This article discusses why supply policy is dominant and the consequences of this for energy system development. Analysis of this pattern reveals that powerful actors, such as local energy companies, were able to mobilize support for supply policies, not least because they owned the energy plants and distribution networks. These actors were also represented in many... (More)

Case studies of two Swedish municipalities indicate that the general energy area was divided into three independent policy areas: One dealing with supply, one with conservation and one with environmental questions related to the Agenda 21 vision of an ecologically sustainable energy system. However, the dominant energy policy area in the municipalities was supply policy. This article discusses why supply policy is dominant and the consequences of this for energy system development. Analysis of this pattern reveals that powerful actors, such as local energy companies, were able to mobilize support for supply policies, not least because they owned the energy plants and distribution networks. These actors were also represented in many different decision arenas; in contrast, actors representing the other energy policy areas often lacked power and resources, and were represented in only a few decision arenas.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Local Environment
volume
11
issue
4
pages
13 pages
publisher
Carfax Publishing
external identifiers
  • scopus:33747001711
ISSN
1354-9839
DOI
10.1080/13549830600785613
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
26c13312-8e70-44af-ab04-cd472458ee10
date added to LUP
2019-03-11 14:52:54
date last changed
2022-03-02 20:38:03
@article{26c13312-8e70-44af-ab04-cd472458ee10,
  abstract     = {{<p>Case studies of two Swedish municipalities indicate that the general energy area was divided into three independent policy areas: One dealing with supply, one with conservation and one with environmental questions related to the Agenda 21 vision of an ecologically sustainable energy system. However, the dominant energy policy area in the municipalities was supply policy. This article discusses why supply policy is dominant and the consequences of this for energy system development. Analysis of this pattern reveals that powerful actors, such as local energy companies, were able to mobilize support for supply policies, not least because they owned the energy plants and distribution networks. These actors were also represented in many different decision arenas; in contrast, actors representing the other energy policy areas often lacked power and resources, and were represented in only a few decision arenas.</p>}},
  author       = {{Palm, Jenny}},
  issn         = {{1354-9839}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{08}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{445--457}},
  publisher    = {{Carfax Publishing}},
  series       = {{Local Environment}},
  title        = {{Development of sustainable energy systems in Swedish municipalities : A matter of path dependency and power relations}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13549830600785613}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/13549830600785613}},
  volume       = {{11}},
  year         = {{2006}},
}