What Characterizes a System Builder? The Role of Local Energy Companies in Energy System Transformation
Abstract
:1. Introduction
Sociotechnical Systems and the Role of System Builders
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- the skills to integrate interdependent components into a coherent whole;
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- detailed knowledge of client requirements; and
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- knowledge of the rules and regulations governing the industry.
2. Materials and Methods
Background: The Linköping Case
3. Results
3.1. Energy Planning: A Way to Coordinate Processes
Even though energy planning is working fine with TVAB doing it, it is not good to have them doing it. You cannot free yourself from the thought that they are not impartial in their investigations.(Interview 31)
3.2. Enrolling the City Council and Avoiding Conflicts
We usually say that in this municipality we have not only the traditional parties but also the “company party.” Those who are on the board agree and take the company’s stand against the municipality. They don’t see their role as defending the public interest, but rather as defending the company from the municipality.(Interview 37)
But in a way you can say that it was a strategy of TVAB management not to have too many formal requirements, but instead to try to manoeuver between the municipality’s informal demands. In this way, they avoid legal binding contracts, such as general agreements. … For me as the chair it was also beneficial that we didn’t need to put all the details into a contract, because that would probably be too difficult and lead to strong resistance.(Interview 32)
A formal process would eliminate “corridor guiding”—decisions made opaquely and hidden directives from the city council chair. It would be a more transparent process that is easy to follow.(Interview 33)
When it comes to the energy system, it is run in competition today, and we have no ability to govern that.(Interview 34)
Power over electricity and heating lie beyond both the municipal council and the executive council. Due to the deregulation, the power is held by the market player when it comes to production and sales. When it comes to the grid, the power is held by the state authorities … Yes, the power is formally retained by the city council, but they probably leave these issues to TVAB to decide, because that is where the knowledge is.(Interview 4)
3.3. Expanding the Market
You could not do one thing without the other. Without solving the waste problem, there was no material for the production. Without selling the gas, you could not handle the waste. It was all connected.(Interview 12)
4. Discussion
- the ability to act as one unit and drive processes in one direction, despite the multitude of individuals representing an organization;
- the ability to act in various decision arenas and coordinate processes to support its interests;
- the ability to use knowledge, skills, and experience to control and coordinate a multitude of policy processes; and
- recognizing opportunities to enroll actors and combine knowledge and experience from different sociotechnical systems.
Acknowledgments
Author Contributions
Conflicts of Interest
Appendix 1: Interviewees
Interview No | Title | Organization | Active Period |
1 | CEO | TVAB | 1992–1999 |
2 | CEO | TVAB | 1977–1991 |
3 | Deputy CEO | TVAB | 2002–2011 |
4 | Chair of the Board | TVAB and City Council | 2003–2009 |
5 | Deputy Chair of the Board | TVAB and City Council | Current |
6 | Member of Board | TVAB and City Council | 1995–2007 |
7 | Project leader, district heating | TVAB | 1965–2011 |
8 | Environment engineer | TVAB | Current |
9 | Project leader | TVAB | Current |
10 | Environment communication | TVAB | Current |
11 | Consultant and project leader | TVAB | Current |
12 | Project leader | TVAB | Current |
13 | Production manager | TVAB | Current |
14 | HVAC | Municipal housing company | Current |
15 | Environment coordinator | Municipal real estate company | Current |
16 | HVAC | Municipal real estate company | Current |
17 | Electrical engineer | Municipal real estate company | Current |
18 | Deputy CEO; CEO | Linköping Public Transportation | 1987; 1988–1994 |
19 | Personal manager | Linköping Public Transportation | 1981–1994 |
20 | Energy advisor | Municipal Building department | 1997–2010 |
21 | Energy advisor | Municipal Building department | 1980–1987 |
22 | Energy advisor | Municipal Building department | 1981–1988 |
23 | Agenda 21 coordinator | Municipal Environment department | 1997–1999 |
24 | Agenda 21 manager | Municipal Environment department | 1995–2000 |
25 | Environmental manager | Municipal Environmental department | 1994–2013 |
26 | Environmental manager | Municipal Environmental department | 1981–1991 |
27 | Planning architect | Municipal Planning department | 1980–1991 |
28 | Planner | Municipal Board’s planning unit | 1986–1997 |
29 | Planning manager | Municipal Planning department | 1977–2005 |
30 | Traffic planner | Municipal Planning department | 1981–1993 |
31 | Chair Municipal Board | Social Democrat | 1991 and 1995–2000 |
32 | Chair Municipal Board | Center party | 1977–1979 and 1985–1988 |
33 | Member of City Council | Moderate party | 1970–2002 |
34 | Member of City Council | Left party | 1994–2002 |
35 | Substitute member of City Council | Moderate party | 1989–1994 |
36 | Member of City Council | Center party | 1985–2004 |
37 | Member of City Council | Center party | Current |
38 | Member of city council | Environmental party | Current |
39 | CEO | Regional public transportation company | 1981–2002 |
40 | Member of Board | Regional public transportation company | 1985–1992 |
41 | Biogas consultant | Municipal administration | In periods from 1986 |
42 | Official | Consultant in traffic planning | Current |
43 | Manager | Swedish Transport Administration | Current |
44 | CEO | Linköping Public Transportation | 1972–1988 |
Appendix 2: Interview Guide
- A.
- Background information
- Education, how long at this position, previous employment
- Your organization’s role in general
- Do you have any unpublished documentation regarding the project/process?
- B.
- Initiation
- Can you give a brief history of the project/process?
- How did discussion get started?
- When?
- Where?—who owned the issue?
- Which actor?
- Which issues were on the agenda?
- Education, how long at this position, previous employment
- Inspiration from other projects/actors
- C.
- Problem definition and solutions
- Was there a specific problem to be solved?
- Did the problem change over time?
- Were other problem formulations dismissed?
- Which actors brought in what problems?
- Which solutions were presented?
- Which actors suggested what solutions?
- D.
- Actors and driving forces
- Which actors were involved and why?
- In what way did different actors get engaged?
- Which interests did different actors bring in?
- Where did the discussions take place?—in which arena?
- Which actor was a driving force?
- Which actor was in opposition?
- Which actor was seen as driving the process?
- Actors who dropped out
- E.
- Actors and cooperation
- How did other actors outside the process act (such as other municipalities, energy companies)?
- What did the network look like (involved actors, meta-governor)?
- Actors that created alliances
- How were new actors enrolled?—by whom and why?
- Cooperation culture?
- F.
- Final
- Something to add
- Other people to interview
- Can I come back if I have further questions?
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Example | Challenges | Identified Characteristics |
---|---|---|
Energy planning | Coordinate processes | Knowledge of the energy system; interest to defend the system; skills to integrate interdependent components |
Debates in city council | Avoid conflicts and enroll actors | Maintaining a company perspective; use of network; knowledge of owner’s requirements |
Biogas | Expanding the market | Knowledge, skills and networks in two technical systems contributed to recognized opportunity; interests to expand the market through coordination |
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Palm, J.; Fallde, M. What Characterizes a System Builder? The Role of Local Energy Companies in Energy System Transformation. Sustainability 2016, 8, 256. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8030256
Palm J, Fallde M. What Characterizes a System Builder? The Role of Local Energy Companies in Energy System Transformation. Sustainability. 2016; 8(3):256. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8030256
Chicago/Turabian StylePalm, Jenny, and Magdalena Fallde. 2016. "What Characterizes a System Builder? The Role of Local Energy Companies in Energy System Transformation" Sustainability 8, no. 3: 256. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8030256
APA StylePalm, J., & Fallde, M. (2016). What Characterizes a System Builder? The Role of Local Energy Companies in Energy System Transformation. Sustainability, 8(3), 256. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8030256