| 1. |
- Söderholm, Kristina, 1973-, et al.
(author)
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Industrial Energy Transitions and the Dynamics of Innovation Systems : The Swedish Pulp and Paper Industry, 1970–2010
- 2020
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In: Environments. - : MDPI. - 2076-3298. ; 7:9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This article provides a sectoral innovation system perspective of the development of energy efficient and clean process technologies in the Swedish pulp and paper industry. Specifically, the analysis elaborates the importance of knowledge development, actor networks, and institutions (including policy) for progressing and diffusing novel technologies related to energy use. The empirical analysis also sheds light on how significant changes in the sectoral innovation system have influenced the relevant research, development and demonstration activities in the Swedish pulp and paper industry over the period 1970–2010. The results are based on various sources—e.g., industry magazines, reports from industrial consultants and associations, minutes from meetings—and illustrate the importance of well-functioning innovation systems for successful technological development and diffusion processes. They display, in particular, the importance of joint, industry-wide R&D activities, trust-based state—industry relationships, government R&D expenditures, and intense information sharing. One important implication is that the role of policy stretches beyond the funding of basic R&D. Policy also involves measures that strengthen existing actor networks, build competence, and secure the existence of research institutes that provide a bridge between basic knowledge generation (at the universities) on the one hand, and industrial application on the other.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Söderholm, Patrik, 1968-, et al.
(author)
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The political economy of industrial pollution control : environmental regulation in Swedish industry for five decades
- 2022
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In: Journal of Environmental Planning and Management. - : Taylor & Francis. - 0964-0568 .- 1360-0559. ; 65:6, s. 1056-1087
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The paper analyzes the prerequisites for a regulatory-driven transition toward radically lower air and water pollution in industry. This is achieved in the empirical context of the Swedish mining and metals industry, and by investigating the environmental licensing processes during two regulatory systems. The paper derives an analytical framework that explores under what circumstances such licensing processes can result in radical emissions reductions without seriously jeopardizing the competitiveness of the industry. Archived material covering six environmental licensing processes, three during each system, is used to illustrate the various design and implementation issues. The results suggest that regulatory-driven green transitions benefit from trust-based bargaining procedures in which companies are involved in repeated interactions with regulatory authorities, and which extended probation periods permit tests of novel abatement technologies (including innovation). The findings also illustrate the importance of abstaining from simplified normative notions about policy instrument choice (e.g. taxes versus standards).
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| 4. |
- Söderholm, Patrik, 1968-, et al.
(author)
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Voluntary agreements and systemic lock-in in the circular economy : The certification of sewage sludge in Sweden
- 2024
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In: Circular and Transformative Economy. - : Taylor & Francis. ; , s. 9-28
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Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This chapter departs from the dual objective of reusing waste while at the same time mitigating pollution; it focuses on the opportunities and challenges of managing this trade-off through voluntary agreements between various actors. The chapter aims to investigate and discuss the emergence, outcomes, and future challenges of the Swedish voluntary certification scheme REVAQ. This scheme includes efforts among wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to build trust for the application of sewage sludge on agricultural land and thus reuse the nutrients contained in it, not least by reducing the presence of metals and organic substances. Our findings suggest that the establishment of REVAQ was, in many ways, a natural response of the incumbent actors to an uncertain regulatory situation. The preventive environmental work pursued because of the certification scheme has been successful, thus resulting in decreased flows of hazardous substances to soil. However, REVAQ faces challenges, largely due to previously unattended trace elements, e.g., microplastics and pharmaceutical residues. These will make it difficult for actors to convince the key stakeholders about the future quality of the sewage sludge. There is also currently a prioritization of system optimization over system change, i.e., a bias towards incremental improvements in the existing system instead of seeking to innovate beyond this system. REVAQ likely contributes to this path dependence and technological lock-in.
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| 5. |
- Andersen, M. S., et al.
(author)
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To facilitate a fair bioeconomy transition, stronger regional-level linkages are needed
- 2022
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In: Biofuels Bioproducts & Biorefining-Biofpr. - : Wiley. - 1932-104X .- 1932-1031. ; 16:4, s. 929-941
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The great hopes in Brussels that a circular bioeconomy will help bridge the growing divide between urban and rural areas and allow the hinterlands to prosper from 'green growth' are addressed in this article, which reflects on insights from three Nordic case studies of brown, green and blue biomass use at different levels of technology readiness. A closer examination of the forward, backward, fiscal and final demand linkages at regional level from increased biomass utilization, from eastern Finland and northern Sweden to Jutland and North Atlantic islands, suggests that linkages are and will remain relatively weak, predominantly dashing the expectations. As suppliers and exporters of natural resources, disadvantaged regions may all too easily get locked into a 'staples trap', where the value creation evaporates owing in part to the steep start-up costs and the associated boom-and-bust cycles, which place them in a weak position vis-a-vis the resource manufacturers and consumers. To make the prospects of development, employment and prosperity in the hinterlands materialize, measures are needed to strengthen the regional-level economic linkages. Regional-level revolving funds based on benefit-sharing instruments related to natural resources can be used to bolster economic development, as reflected in such schemes present in both China and Canada. We call for further research into whether and how such approaches can be replicated successfully by channeling revenues from biomass cultivation to regional-scale revolving funds, with mandates to strengthen long-term economic linkages and prosperity within the hinterlands. (c) 2022 The Authors. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining published by Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Andersson, Sara, et al.
(author)
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The mixed blessing of responsibility relief: An application to household recycling and curbside waste collection
- 2023
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In: Frontiers in Environmental Economics. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2813-2823. ; 1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper addresses the role of personal norms and warm glow in influencing households' waste recycling preferences. The purpose is to explore inter-household differences in the preferences toward the introduction of curbside recycling, which implies that households are relieved from the responsibility of transporting sorted waste to assigned drop-off stations. The main theoretical point of departure for the analysis is an existing model that integrates norm-motivated behavior into neoclassical utility theory. This builds on the assumption that the household members have preferences for upholding a self-image as responsible—norm-compliant—persons, and it also contains a warm-glow component. The empirical investigation relies on a postal survey to households in a Swedish municipality, and this asks households about their willingness-to-pay (WTP) for the introduction of a curbside recycling scheme, as well as about time use and the presence of personal norms and warm glow motives. The results are based on a Heckman selection specification and show that individuals expressing a strong personal norm for recycling are more likely to be willing to pay for curbside recycling, while those with strong warm glow motives are less likely to do so. This suggests the existence of a mixed blessing of responsibility relief. Curbside recycling implies that households are relieved from a moral responsibility that takes time away from leisure activities, but they also experience a loss in warm glow as such a scheme removes the possibility to pursue something that they have learned to appreciate. There could then exist ‘motivational inertia' making it difficult for policy makers to activate personal norms for new pro-environmental household activities in replacement of existing ones.
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Berglund, Christer, et al.
(author)
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Recycling, Norms and Convenience: A Bivariate Probit Analysis of Household Data from a Swedish City
- 2022
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In: Frontiers in Sustainable Cities. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2624-9634. ; 4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The purpose of this article is to investigate the role of norms and convenience for households' packaging waste sorting activities. The theoretical point of departure is a simple economic model that integrates norm-motivated behavior into neoclassical utility theory by assuming that the individual has a preference for maintaining a self-image as a morally responsible (norm-compliant) person. The empirical analysis rests on survey responses from 398 households in the city of Eskilstuna, Sweden. Self-reported information on recycling contributions and personal norms is analyzed in a bivariate probit model, which estimates the probability of pursuing high-performing recycling efforts as an endogenously determined decisions to the activation of a personal norm for waste sorting. The results suggest that norm activation is an important driver for households' recycling contributions, as is convenience in the form of access to property-close collection schemes. Personal norms are in turn primarily activated by the presence of social, legal, and descriptive norms. One important implication is that policy needs to build on well-aligned policy instrument mixes that combine references to the moral significance of households' recycling contributions with various infrastructural measures that facilitate such contributions.
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| 11. |
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| 12. |
- Bryngemark, Elina, 1987-, et al.
(author)
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Green industrial policies and domestic production of biofuels : an econometric analysis of OECD countries
- 2022
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In: Environmental Economics and Policy Studies. - : Springer. - 1432-847X .- 1867-383X. ; 24:2, s. 225-261
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between green industrial policies and domestic biofuel production among OECD countries. The analysis builds on a data set including 24 OECD countries over the time period 2000–2016. This panel is estimated using a variant of the so-called Poisson pseudo-maximum-likelihood model and includes the mix of demand-pull (biofuel blending mandates) and technology-push policies (government R&D), as well as the interaction between these two types of instruments. The results suggest a positive relationship between blending mandates and domestic biofuel production. Thus, a more stringent blending mandate does not only increase the use of biofuels, but also domestic production (as a share of total fuel use). Government R&D has not, however, induced domestic biofuel industrialization processes. The results even suggest a negative interaction effect between government R&D and blending mandates, in turn implying that these two polices target different technological fields. The blending mandates tend to primarily favor commercialized first-generation biofuels, while government support to biofuel R&D has instead been focused on advanced biofuel technology.
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| 13. |
- Bryngemark, Elina, 1987-, et al.
(author)
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The adoption of green public procurement practices: Analytical challenges and empirical illustration on Swedish municipalities
- 2023
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In: Ecological Economics. - : Elsevier. - 0921-8009 .- 1873-6106. ; 204
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The objective of this paper is to investigate the determinants of the adoption of green public procurement (GPP) practices at the local authority level. A conceptual contribution of the paper is an analytical framework, which acknowledges that the adoption of green criteria in tenders should be modelled as a conditionally independent decision from the decision to rely on GPP strategies (guidelines). This approach can help provide novel insights into how various political, organizational, and individual characteristics influence GPP. The paper provides an empirical illustration by concentrating on the role of organizational size. This analysis is based on survey responses from civil servants representing 140 Swedish municipalities. The results are based on the bivariate ordered probit estimator and suggest that large municipalities are more likely to rely on GPP strategies but also less prone to adopt green criteria in tenders when controlling for the presence of such strategies. In large organizations, the centralization of the procurement implies efficiency gains, but it will often be accompanied with longer organizational distances between the procuring and the environmental departments. The paper also highlights the wider implications of the proposed framework, including how future research on GPP practices could approach the role of various political and individual factors.
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| 14. |
- Bryngemark, Elina, 1987-
(author)
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The Economics of Biofuel Development : Policy Incentives and Market Impacts
- 2021
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This thesis examines the economics of biofuel development by studying the forest raw material market impacts of increased biofuel production, as well as the role of specific policy incentives. Paper [I] presents an economic assessment of two different developments – both implying an increased demand for forest ecosystem services – and how these could affect the competition for forest raw materials. A Swedish forest sector trade model is updated to a new base year and used to analyze the consequences of: (a) increased bioenergy use in the heat and power sector; and (b) increased forest conservation. A particularly interesting market impact is that bioenergy promotion and forest conservation tend to have opposite effects on forest industry by-product prices. Furthermore, combining the two scenarios mitigates the forest industry by-product price increase compared to the case where only the bioenergy-promoting scenario is implemented. In other words, the heat and power sector is less negatively affected in terms of increased feedstock prices if a bioenergy demand increase is accompanied by increased forest conservation. Paper [2] explores the forest product market impacts of increased domestic second-generation (2G) biofuel production in Sweden. Changes in forest raw material prices and resource allocation are assessed using a forest sector trade model, which has been extended with a 2G biofuel module to address such production. The simulation results show increasing forest industry by-product prices, e.g., displaying that increased 2G biofuel production leads to a more intense raw material competition. The higher feedstock prices make the use of forest biomass in the heat and power sector less profitable. Still, we find little evidence of substitution of fossil fuels for by-products. There is also evidence of synergy effects in that the higher by-product prices spur sawmills to produce more sawn wood, something which in turn induces forest owners to increase harvest levels. Paper [3] presents and demonstrates a conceptual interdisciplinary framework that can constitute the basis for evaluations of the full supply-chain performance of various biorefinery concepts. The framework involves soft-linking a bottom-up and a top-down model; it considers the competition for biomass across sectors, assumes exogenous end-use product demand, and incorporates various geographical and technical constraints. We demonstrate this framework empirically by modelling the case of a sawmill-integrated biorefinery, which produces liquefied biomethane from forest industry residues. This case shows, among other things, the importance of acknowledging price change responses when evaluating supply chains. Paper [4] studies the relationship between green industrial policies and domestic biofuel production among 24 OECD countries over the period 2000-2016. This panel is estimated using a variant of the so-called Poisson pseudo-maximum-likelihood model, and incorporates the mix of demand-pull (biofuel blending mandates) and technology-push policies (government R&D), as well as the interaction between these two types of instruments. The results suggest that a more stringent blending mandate tends not only to increase the use of biofuels, but also domestic production. Government R&D has not, however, induced domestic biofuel industrialization processes. The results instead imply that these two polices target different technological fields, in turn leading to no positive interaction between demand-pull and technology-push policies. Finally, Paper [5] investigates the factors that tend to influence Swedish municipalities’ uptake of green public procurement (GPP) practices in the transport sector. The analysis builds on survey responses from civil servants representing 140 Swedish municipalities, complemented by secondary data on, for instance, municipality size. The survey collected information about both individual (e.g., education) and organizational characteristics (e.g., strategies). These data were used to estimate a bivariate probit model, which addresses the endogeneity in the GPP decision-making process. The results indicate that municipality size increases the likelihood of adopting a GPP strategy but decreases the likelihood for GPP uptake. This suggests that larger municipalities benefit from more resources (e.g., staff), but suffer from a larger organizational distance between the procuring and environmental departments. Finally, the results lend meagre support to the street-level bureaucracy hypothesis, i.e., that individual characteristics influence the uptake of GPP.
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| 15. |
- Ejdemo, Thomas
(author)
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Entrepreneurship and the Geography of Innovation : Essays on the Role of Related Variety
- 2021
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The traditional view that large industrial corporations are the primary engines of innovation and economic progress has gradually been replaced by the notion that place is the key organizing platform for innovative activity in the modern knowledge economy. The geography of innovation has shown that innovative activities tend to cluster in space, due to the advantages of certain cities and regions. Recent literature suggests that a regional diversity of economic activities that are related in a cognitive or technological sense is advantageous, as it facilitates knowledge spillovers that foster positive economic outcomes. This re-specifies the traditional dichotomy between economic specialization and diversity and opens up new lines of inquiry. This thesis aims to contribute to the literature on the geography of innovation and related variety with studies that treat the relationships between related industry variety, innovation and entrepreneurship in explicit fashions, thus addressing important research gaps. The overall purpose of the thesis is therefore to examine and explain the relationship between regional related variety and regional economic change, in terms of: (a) entrepreneurship, and; (b) innovation. The thesis consists of an introductory text and five appended papers. Paper 1 provides a bibliometric study of the literature on related variety, while papers 2 to 5 provide empirical analyses that address the implications of related variety for regional economic outcomes in terms of growth, entrepreneurship and innovation. The main findings of the thesis work suggest that related variety facilitates knowledge spillovers that unlock entrepreneurial opportunities, and that knowledge spillover entrepreneurship underpins the external economies of scope that arise from related variety. In addition, the thesis finds that entrepreneurship is an important driver of economic diversification in related activities. Furthermore, findings presented in the thesis align with previous literature that has reported a positive influence of related variety on regional innovation, which indicates the presence of positive knowledge externalities that foster innovation. It is however argued that the thesis work extends on previous findings by emphasizing the function of entrepreneurship in realizing the knowledge spillover effects of related variety. The importance of entrepreneurship is further reinforced by the finding that unrelated variety in particular is associated with firm-level entrepreneurial innovation. Drawing on the notion of Knightian uncertainty, the thesis work concludes that the process of innovation may require business decisions under ‘true’ uncertainty about expected returns, particularly when combinations of unrelated knowledge are attempted as they are new and unprecedented, and such pursuits can be understood as acts of entrepreneurial innovation.
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| 16. |
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| 17. |
- Gawel, Erik, et al.
(author)
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Security of supply as a political bargaining issue : Why Germany opted against capacity markets
- 2022
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In: Energy Research & Social Science. - : Elsevier. - 2214-6296 .- 2214-6326. ; 86
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The large-scale deployment of intermittent renewable energy sources for electricity generation has raised concerns regarding the future security of supply. Previous research has studied efficient reforms of electricity markets to address these concerns. In contrast, our paper aims to explain actual policy choices made to provide security of supply. For this purpose, we develop a Public Choice framework, which looks at three interacting decision variables: the timing of regulatory intervention, the decision-making process and the market design. We apply this framework to study the policy debates and decisions related to Germany’s 2016 electricity market reform. The analysis builds on the rich empirical material made available through a consultation process preceding the German parliamentary decision. The electricity market reform eventually combined measures to strengthen the energy-only market and the implementation of only limited new capacity payments through a strategic reserve. This was despite the fact that conventional electricity producers strongly lobbied for a fully-fledged capacity market by which they would have benefited from new broad-band capacity payments. Our analysis suggests that the eventual market design decision was strongly affected by the timing of regulatory intervention (existing oversupply of generation capacity) and the decision-making process (an open consultation process revealing broad opposition against capacity markets).
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| 18. |
- Hedeler, Barbara, 1991, et al.
(author)
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Policy mixes and policy feedback: Implications for green industrial growth in the Swedish biofuels industry
- 2023
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In: Renewable & sustainable energy reviews. - : Elsevier. - 1364-0321 .- 1879-0690. ; 173
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In recent years, innovation systems scholars have advanced the understanding of the evolution of industries around renewable energy technologies as well as the role of policy feedback (and indeed politics) surrounding the development of domestic green industrial development policies. To take a step towards combining these literature streams, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of policy mixes and policy feedback in the emergence of domestic green industries. This is achieved in the empirical case of biofuels in Sweden, and the findings show that policy feedback dynamics created difficulties in aligning the national policy mix with the technology and industrial developments in the country. The resulting political uncertainty predominantly hampered the scaling up of domestic production capacity, while R&D and import of biofuels instead could grow strong. Based on this empirical case, a process model is developed to explain the role of policy feedback in the development of domestic industries, thus demonstrating how the growth of domestic industries is driven by the interplay of policy effects and various feedback processes. The findings suggest that future research into the role of policies in “green” domestic industry growth should devote more attention to the dynamics driving the co-evolution of policy, technology and industry structures.
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| 19. |
- Hedeler, Barbara, et al.
(author)
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The dynamic between policy mixes and the emergence of sustainable value chains: Comparative perspectives from biofuel development in Finland and Sweden
- 2020
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In: IST 2020. - : IST 2020. ; , s. 283-283
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper explores how the design of a policy mix and its characteristics affect the emergence and localization of industrialization processes over the lifecycle, from technology development to deployment of commercially established technologies. Combining insights from the literature on policy mixes for sustainability transitions, innovation systems, and technology lifecycles, a general framework is developed to explore the link between policy mixes and clean industry growth. The framework is applied to the empirical context of biofuels in two countries in a comparative case study setting over an extended period. The results reveal that there are great differences in which kinds of actors enter a new industry, the ways actors structure their activities over the lifecycle, and the policy incentives needed to spur emergence and functioning. Given the multi-actor and multi-technology complexity of clean industries, this paper concludes that policy needs to be aware of the fact that one specific policy mix may promote some actors and technologies more than others. The paper offers implications for innovation system scholars and policymakers.
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| 20. |
- Kuylenstierna, Johan, et al.
(author)
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Klimatpolitiska rådets rapport 2021
- 2021
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Denna rapport utgör Klimatpolitiska rådets utvärdering av regeringens samlade politik under år 2020 i förhållande till de klimatmål som riksdagen och regeringen har beslutat. Den innehåller också en övergripande bild av utsläppsutvecklingen och en uppföljning av regeringensklimatpolitiska handlingsplan liksom av regeringens klimatredovisning till riksdagen.Den förda politiken har under det senaste året starkt präglats av den pågående pandemin. Hur samhället förmår möta coronakrisen och dess långsiktiga ekonomiska och sociala effekter påverkar på flera sätt förutsättningarna för att hantera klimatomställningen. Klimatpolitiska rådet har därförvalt att i årets rapport ha ett särskilt fokus på regeringens politik under coronakrisen och hur kris och återhämtningspolitiken påverkar möjligheterna att uppnå de klimatpolitiska målen.När slutsatserna och rekommendationerna i denna rapport presenteras pågår pandeminfortfarande. Ännu finns ingen slutgiltig bild av de många skeenden, samband och följder som är relevanta i sammanhanget, men många viktiga politiska beslut kopplade till coronakrisen och dess följdverkningar behöver fattas nu och under den närmaste tiden. Att Klimatpolitiska rådetpresenterar denna rapport om krisen redan nu är i linje med rådets ambition att bidra medrelevanta och användbara beslutsunderlag för regering och riksdag.Rapporten innehåller både slutsatser om de förda politiken och ett antal rekommendationer till regeringen för att bättre tillvarata det möjlighetsfönster som Coronakrisen skapat.
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| 21. |
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| 22. |
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| 23. |
- Lauf, Thomas, et al.
(author)
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The Regional Heterogeneity of Wind Power Deployment : An Empirical Investigation of Land-use Policies in Germany and Sweden
- 2020
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In: Journal of Environmental Planning and Management. - : Taylor & Francis. - 0964-0568 .- 1360-0559. ; 63:4, s. 751-778
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The purpose of this paper is to analyze and compare the impacts of land-use policies on wind power deployment at the regional levels in Germany and Sweden. We use data for the period 2008–2012, and an econometric approach in which the probability of having any wind power capacity additions and the actual level of increased capacity, given that it is positive, are permitted to be determined by different processes. The results confirm the importance of land-use policies, e.g., priority and exclusion areas, and interesting differences across the two countries are found. The impact of priority areas has been more profound in Germany, while the assignment of protected areas instead has constituted a more binding policy tool in Sweden. Cross-country differences in the relevance of various explanatory variables are linked to factors such as geographical patterns, design of wind power support schemes, and the allocation of decision-making power in planning processes.
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| 24. |
- Lundmark, Robert, et al.
(author)
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Establishing local biogas transport systems : Policy incentives and actor networks in Swedish regions
- 2021
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In: Biomass and Bioenergy. - : Elsevier. - 0961-9534 .- 1873-2909. ; 145
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Biogas from waste and residues is a renewable transportation fuel, which can contribute directly to the fulfillment of several of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In this paper, we address the question of how biogas value chains, and the respective actor networks, emerge at the local level. The purpose of the paper is to empirically assess the development of local biogas transport systems in three Swedish regions, and how policy – including so-called network management – can support this development. The analysis draws on an analytical framework describing how emerging actor networks can be strengthened, and multiple data collection methods (personal interviews, workshop, and secondary sources). The results indicate that four factors explain the success of developing effective local biogas systems: (i) a clear political vision and an adequate basis for decision-making; (ii) a reliance on green public procurement giving priority to biogas vehicles (including follow-up); (iii) integrated actor networks, facilitating knowledge development and sharing of information; and (iv) strategies to deal with an uneven system growth.
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| 25. |
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| 26. |
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| 27. |
- Mossberg, Johanna, et al.
(author)
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Challenges of sustainable industrial transformation : Swedish biorefinery development and incumbents in the emerging biofuels industry
- 2021
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In: Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining. - : John Wiley and Sons Ltd. - 1932-104X .- 1932-1031. ; 15:5, s. 1264-1280
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper investigates the transformation challenges related to incumbent industries caused by technology development and industry convergence in the transition to a bioeconomy in the context of Swedish biorefinery development. It involves the emergence of new value chains and several incumbent industries such as the pulp and paper industry, the oil refinery sector, the chemical process industry, and the heat and power sector. In 2019, Sweden had Europe's largest share of biofuels in the transport sector, roughly 20% on an energy basis, and this share has increased by around 300% during the last decade. At the same time, domestic production has stalled, and even though Sweden has beneficial conditions for biofuel production, the share of biofuel that is imported or based on imported feedstock has recently ranged between 85% and 90%. We discuss three transformation challenges: (i) inertia and lack of absorptive capacity creating lock-in effects at the organizational level; (ii) weak and inefficient actor networks at the industry level; and (iii) contradictory policy instrument mixes and lack of coordination at the government level. The findings underscore the need for policy integration and alignment across various policy domains, and an increased focus on policy mixes that can stimulate the emergence of more disruptive innovations and value chains. There is also a need for industrial initiatives, such as improving absorptive capacity and strengthening actor networks, to help build the value chains needed to realize a sustainable bioeconomy.
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| 28. |
- Mossberg, Johanna, et al.
(author)
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Managerial and organizational challenges encountered in the development of sustainable technology : Analysis of Swedish biorefinery pilot and demonstration plants
- 2020
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In: Journal of Cleaner Production. - : Elsevier Ltd. - 0959-6526 .- 1879-1786. ; 276
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Pilot and demonstration plants (PDPs) perform critical tasks in the development of new sustainable technology by bridging basic knowledge generation and large-scale commercialization. Significant private and public funding has therefore been allocated to PDPs addressing climate change, pollution abatement technology and/or increased resource efficiency. After technology verification, PDPs typically struggle with evolving objectives, and reports of stalled or delayed development are common. Key problems may center on technical difficulties, but challenges of a non-technical nature are equally important, not least for the development of clean technology. This paper draws on a longitudinal case study of four PDPs used for advanced biorefinery technology development in Sweden and delineates the key managerial and organizational challenges that arise in and around such plants. By taking the actor networks around PDPs as the main unit of analysis, this paper gives a detailed description of various challenges, such as the division of responsibility for the operation and ownership of the PDPs, unclear roles and objectives, and the lack of specific competences and resources in the actor networks. One important conclusion is that improved knowledge about such challenges should increase the resilience of actor networks in and around PDPs, and also help shorten the formative phase of developing sustainable technology. © 2020 The Authors
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| 29. |
- Mousavi, Seyedesmaeil, 1983, et al.
(author)
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How can pilot and demonstration plants drive market formation? Lessons from advanced biofuel development in Europe
- 2023
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In: Technological forecasting & social change. - : Elsevier. - 0040-1625 .- 1873-5509. ; 194
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper analyzes through what enabling mechanisms pilot and demonstration plants (PDPs) reduce supply and demand uncertainties, and thereby contributing to the market formation for novel sustainable technologies. The analysis builds on three case studies within the advanced biofuel development in Europe. For each case, we construct a narrative of the technology development and derive detailed insights into how technology actors use PDPs to drive market formation. We develop a comprehensive analytical framework, which highlights how PDPs contribute to supply uncertainty reduction through three main enabling mechanisms: building credibility for the technology, business ecosystem orchestration, and technology learning. The corresponding enabling mechanisms behind demand uncertainty reduction include technology standardization, constructing the narrative, and the creation of legitimacy for the technology. The paper also unfolds the composite activities of each mechanism, and outlines implications for technology developers, policymakers, as well as for the research community.
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| 30. |
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| 31. |
- Pettersson, Maria, 1971-, et al.
(author)
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Breddad miljöprövning fel väg att gå
- 2022
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In: Aktuell Hållbarhet Lag & rätt. - : Bonnier. - 2002-3200 .- 2003-4253. ; :2, s. 9-9
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Journal article (pop. science, debate, etc.)
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| 32. |
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| 33. |
- Söderholm, Patrik, 1968-, et al.
(author)
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Metal markets and recycling policies : impacts and challenges
- 2020
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In: Mineral Economics. - : Springer. - 2191-2203 .- 2191-2211. ; 33:1-2, s. 257-272
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- An increased understanding of the existing markets for recycled (secondary) metals, including interactions with virgin material production, is essential for public decision-making processes concerning the implementation and evaluation of different categories of recycling policies. In this paper, we review the existing literature with the purpose of discussing (1) the impacts of various recycling policies on metal markets in which aggregate demand can be met by both primary and secondary production, and (2) a number of challenges that policy-makers need to confront in choosing between various types of recycling policies and policy designs. A simple partial equilibrium model is used as a pedagogical tool for shedding light on the impacts of tradable recycling credits, virgin material taxes, and recycling subsidies. In a second step, the paper identifies and discusses a few key challenges that policy-makers will need to address in recycling policy-making. These challenges include improving the functioning of secondary material markets by addressing various non-environmental market inefficiencies; identifying and designing (second-best) policy mixes due to the presence of incomplete monitoring and enforcement of waste disposal behavior, and regulating environmental impacts through price- or quantity-based policies. Throughout the analysis, we consult the empirical literature on the functioning of scrap metal markets (e.g., steel, copper, and aluminum).
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| 35. |
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| 36. |
- Söderholm, Patrik, 1968-
(author)
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The green economy transition : the challenges of technological change for sustainability
- 2020
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In: Sustainable Earth. - : Springer Nature. - 2520-8748. ; 3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Green Economy is an alternative vision for growth and development; one that can generate economic development and improvements in people’s lives in ways consistent with advancing also environmental and social well-being. One significant component of a green economy strategy is to promote the development and adoption of sustainable technologies. The overall objective of this article is to discuss a number of challenges encountered when pursuing sustainable technological change, and that need to be properly understood by policy makers and professionals at different levels in society. We also identify some avenues for future research. The discussions center on five challenges: (a) dealing with diffuse – and ever more global – environmental risks; (b) achieving radical and not just incremental sustainable technological change; (c) green capitalism and the uncertain business-as-usual scenario; (d) the role of the state and designing appropriate policy mixes; and (e) dealing with distributional concerns and impacts. The article argues that sustainable technological change will require a re-assessment of the roles of the private industry and the state, respectively, and that future research should increasingly address the challenges of identifying and implementing novel policy instrument combinations in various institutional contexts.
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| 37. |
- Wetterlund, Elisabeth, 1978-, et al.
(author)
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Smart Waste Treatment in the Circular Economy
- 2024
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Reports (pop. science, debate, etc.)abstract
- This project has targeted utilisation of infrastructure for organic waste treatment in Sweden, in particular sewage sludge, to achieve increased production of high-value materials and energy carriers, reduced use of primary resources, and improved economic performance. We have investigated the sewage sludge management system as a socio-technical system facing a change, with integral connections to the energy and waste systems.In conclusion, there is no silver bullet for the future of sewage sludge management. Indeed, it would have to be a full clip of silver bullets, as we found that a mishmash of different barriers –technical, economic, legal, and related to public perception – creates uncertainty that hinders progress regarding both sustainable long-term strategies and technological advancement. The Swedish sewage sludge management is largely fragmented, highlighting the need to shift directionto a more holistic approach. This can help actors address common issues rather than focussing solely on activity-specific problems. Introducing new legislation could be a key step, as the current specific legislation on sewage sludge has a seemingly insignificant role for today’s sludge management, compared to other legislation and the voluntary certification.We have formulated six overall research highlights, to outline both published results and meta-conclusions based on combined insights. Each highlight is described separately in this report.
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| 38. |
- Zetterholm, Jonas, 1989-, et al.
(author)
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Economic Evaluation of Large-Scale Biorefinery Deployment : A Framework Integrating Dynamic Biomass Market and Techno-Economic Models
- 2020
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In: Sustainability. - : MDPI. - 2071-1050. ; 12:17
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Biofuels and biochemicals play significant roles in the transition towards a fossil-free society. However, large-scale biorefineries are not yet cost-competitive with their fossil-fuel counterparts, and it is important to identify biorefinery concepts with high economic performance. For evaluating early-stage biorefinery concepts, one needs to consider not only the technical performance and process costs but also the economic performance of the full supply chain and the impacts on feedstock and product markets. This article presents and demonstrates a conceptual interdisciplinary framework that can constitute the basis for evaluations of the full supply-chain performance of biorefinery concepts. This framework considers the competition for biomass across sectors, assumes exogenous end-use product demand, and incorporates various geographical and technical constraints. The framework is demonstrated empirically through a case study of a sawmill-integrated biorefinery producing liquefied biomethane from forestry and forest industry residues. The case study results illustrate that acknowledging biomass market effects in the supply chain evaluation implies changes in both biomass prices and the allocation of biomass across sectors. The proposed framework should facilitate the identification of biorefinery concepts with a high economic performance which are robust to feedstock price changes caused by the increase in biomass demand.
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| 39. |
- Grafström, Jonas, 1985-, et al.
(author)
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- 2023
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In: Economics of Innovation and New Technology. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1043-8599 .- 1476-8364. ; 32:1, s. 1-24
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Although the climate challenge requires proactive policies that spur innovation in the renewable energy sector, various countries commit vastly different levels of support for renewable energy R&D. This paper addresses the question why this may be the case. Specifically, the objective is to analyse the determinants of government support to renewable energy R&D in the European Union (EU), and, in doing this, we devote particular attention to the question of whether the level of this support tends to converge or diverge across EU Member States. The investigation relies on a data set of 12 EU Member States and a bias-corrected dynamic panel data estimator. We test for the presence of conditional β-convergence, and the impacts of energy dependence and electricity regulation on government R&D efforts. The findings display divergence in terms of government support to renewable energy R&D, and this result is robust across various model specifications and key assumptions. The analysis also indicates that countries with a low energy-import dependence and deregulated electricity markets tend to experience lower growth rates in government renewable energy R&D. The paper ends by discussing some implications of the results, primarily from an EU perspective.
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