• Energy Research

If the European energy and transport sectors are to meet the 2050 energy and climate policy targets, major sociotechnical change (transition) is necessary. Along with new technologies, changes are required also in other societal functions such as business models and consumer habits. The transition will require cooperation between public and private actors. This paper discusses the socio-technical change towards a 2050 road transport system based on renewable energy. More precisely, it proposes a novel, participatory foresight approach in the context of biofuels in Finland. The participatory and prospective value network analysis outlined in the paper combines elements from the fields of foresight, sociotechnical change on multiple levels and value network analysis. It presents a novel, policy and business-relevant application with a set of practical tools to support development of implementation strategies, but also to boost new business opportunities in the fields of energy and transport.

If the European energy and transport sectors are to meet the 2050 energy and climate policy targets, major sociotechnical change (transition) is necessary. Along with new technologies, changes are required also in other societal functions such as business models and consumer habits. The transition will require cooperation between public and private actors. This paper discusses the socio-technical change towards a 2050 road transport system based on renewable energy. More precisely, it proposes a novel, participatory foresight approach in the context of biofuels in Finland. The participatory and prospective value network analysis outlined in the paper combines elements from the fields of foresight, sociotechnical change on multiple levels and value network analysis. It presents a novel, policy and business-relevant application with a set of practical tools to support development of implementation strategies, but also to boost new business opportunities in the fields of energy and transport.

If the Nordic energy and transport sectors are to meet the 2050 energy and climate policy targets, major systemic changes are necessary. Along with new technologies, changes are required also in other societal functions such as business models and consumer habits. The transition requires cooperation between public and private actors. This paper discusses the paradigm change towards 2050 Nordic road transport system based on renewable energy. More precisely, it proposes an approach for creation and analysis of prospective value chains up to the year 2050. The value networks arise from three alternative, but partly overlapping technology platforms, namely electricity, biofuels and hydrogen. The approach outlined in the paper combines elements from the fields of system level changes (transitions), value chain analysis and forward looking policy design. It presents a novel, policy relevant application with a set of practical tools to support development of implementation strategies and policy programmes in the fields of energy and transport.

If the Nordic energy and transport sectors are to meet the 2050 energy and climate policy targets, major systemic changes are necessary. Along with new technologies, changes are required also in other societal functions such as business models and consumer habits. The transition requires cooperation between public and private actors. This paper discusses the paradigm change towards 2050 Nordic road transport system based on renewable energy. More precisely, it proposes an approach for creation and analysis of prospective value chains up to the year 2050. The value networks arise from three alternative, but partly overlapping technology platforms, namely electricity, biofuels and hydrogen. The approach outlined in the paper combines elements from the fields of system level changes (transitions), value chain analysis and forward looking policy design. It presents a novel, policy relevant application with a set of practical tools to support development of implementation strategies and policy programmes in the fields of energy and transport.

The purpose of this article is to evaluate decisions on local energy production in the context of the national energy production system in Finland. The article is based on two case studies on the establishment of district heating. A particular focus is placed on the choice between forest fuel and heavy fuel oil in these two cases in the late 1970s in Finland. Energy production is on a general level understood from the point of view of the national scale. For instance, the Finnish energy production is discussed as a whole, which enforces us to use averages and generalisations when describing the system. Energy production is however, always local action with concrete local solutions, production plants and systems as well as local environmental impact. The national scale is comprised of local scale solutions as well as national scale tendencies, which interact. This study tries to understand the complex relationship between these two interacting scales by focusing on concrete action at the local scale development. According to the results of this study, the national scale, the mainstream, dominates, but does not determinate, the decision-making at the local level. Energy production is a socio-technical system. The development of this system is dominated by a technological momentum, which in turn is threatened by human or non-human innovator-promoters. Innovator-promoters are manifestation of the openness of the socio-technical system: the system is not a deterministic closed system, but open to change. The role of technological momentum and innovator-promoters explain the complex development of the socio-technical system both at the local and national scale. The study conforms strongly to the notion that local scale pioneering decisions are possible, and encourages the belief that these pioneering decisions can shape the development at the national scale and turn the development of it into new trajectories.

The purpose of this article is to evaluate decisions on local energy production in the context of the national energy production system in Finland. The article is based on two case studies on the establishment of district heating. A particular focus is placed on the choice between forest fuel and heavy fuel oil in these two cases in the late 1970s in Finland. Energy production is on a general level understood from the point of view of the national scale. For instance, the Finnish energy production is discussed as a whole, which enforces us to use averages and generalisations when describing the system. Energy production is however, always local action with concrete local solutions, production plants and systems as well as local environmental impact. The national scale is comprised of local scale solutions as well as national scale tendencies, which interact. This study tries to understand the complex relationship between these two interacting scales by focusing on concrete action at the local scale development. According to the results of this study, the national scale, the mainstream, dominates, but does not determinate, the decision-making at the local level. Energy production is a socio-technical system. The development of this system is dominated by a technological momentum, which in turn is threatened by human or non-human innovator-promoters. Innovator-promoters are manifestation of the openness of the socio-technical system: the system is not a deterministic closed system, but open to change. The role of technological momentum and innovator-promoters explain the complex development of the socio-technical system both at the local and national scale. The study conforms strongly to the notion that local scale pioneering decisions are possible, and encourages the belief that these pioneering decisions can shape the development at the national scale and turn the development of it into new trajectories.

Already in agricultural societies issues like the efficient use of natural resources, recycling of goods and materials, and minimization of food waste were key principles. Current circular economy initiatives are building firmly on these same principles. Often circular economy actions concentrate on material efficiency ignoring other possible flows. This paper conceptualizes circular cities by reviewing their constraints, characteristics and connections. Even a proper definition for a “circular city” is missing. After analyzing circular economy (CE) challenges and opportunities in cities, the paper concentrates on characteristics of circular city concepts, namely definition, transition process, target setting and circularity indicators. These are the core issues a city has to define when targeting circularity. In addition, the paper addresses city streams, their interlinkages and boundaries which a city has to analyze when deciding about the concrete actions and means. Adequate tools are needed in this phase to analyze circular cities. Potential Nexus and expert tools were identified in the paper. The paper ends up with a synthesis of steps cities need to take when targeting circularity.