5 - Structures

Summary

The transition toward sustainable energy systems poses a most prominent societal challenge for decades to come. We demonstrate that the alignment framework provides a set of rich instruments for exploring this field of research. It allows us to disentangle the complex interrelations between the technologies and institutions required to provide expected services and safeguard the critical functions at the core of network infrastructures. Since the energy transition requires structural changes in the technological architecture and the macro-institutions, this chapter focuses on this most generic layer of analysis. In order to illustrate our approach, we compare and analyze three archetypes, namely, traditional, contemporary, and future energy systems. Using a comparative static approach, we identify (in)compatibilities between the technological and institutional characteristics of different coordination arrangements when it comes to safeguarding the critical functions throughout the energy transition. We show that the alignment framework provides an innovative approach for understanding and analyzing these complex changes. This analysis of future energy systems represents an important step toward understanding the consequences of the energy transition and the possible evolution of existing energy systems.