Institutional capacity is enabling environment for interactions between individuals and organizations. Understanding the changes required regarding the institutional capacity is needed to remove barriers and stimulate transition to sustainable energy systems. The aim of this study was to identify those barriers to understand what type of changes of the institutional capacity is required. Review of publications was done with focus on the three critical domains for clean energy transition – social acceptance, climate and energy policy and critical materials. In result, the most important aspects of the institutional capacity that form the barriers as well as stimulus in the three domains were identified. Causal loop diagram providing a systemic viewpoint on the important elements and interactions within the mentioned three domains is presented. Results of the study can be used for system dynamics model of energy transition.