Mapping the governing entities and their interactions in designing policy mixes for sustainability transitions: The case of electric vehicles in China

Song, Qi; Rogge, Karoline S.; Ely, Adrian

doi:10.1016/j.eist.2023.100691

Cited by 12 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 121 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…A growing body of the energy transitions literature shed lights on the critical roles of policy interventions in fostering technological innovation and multi-actor engagement in energy transitions processes (Li and Taeihagh, 2020; Lindberg et al, 2019; Long et al, 2022; Rind et al, 2023; Song et al, 2023). This study draws linkages between two major theoretical perspectives: the policy mix theory and the function dynamics perspectives, in order to offer a better understanding of how government-market relationships affect the formulation and implementation of SG policies in China.…”

Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

A functional dynamic framework for understanding new government-market relationships of smart energy transitions in China

Ngar-yin Mah,

Wang,

Wai-hei Siu

2023

Transactions in Planning and Urban Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The urgency for China to attain carbon neutrality has driven the world’s largest carbon-emitting nation to seek more effective climate and energy policies. The adoption of smart grid (SG) technologies, aimed at enabling and accelerating the shift from fossil fuel-dependent energy systems to more sustainable ones, has garnered mounting policy interest in China. However, the full potential of SG development has yet to be realised amidst the ongoing electricity market reforms in the country. A key but largely unanswered question pertains to how and the extent to which the evolving dynamics between the government and the market have influenced SG advancements. This paper aims to develop and apply an integrated framework of policy mixes and functional dynamics for smart energy transitions, and apply it to reanalyse a case study of SG policy developments in China. Our study entails a synthesis of primary research findings, shedding light on how electricity market reforms create institutional contexts within which new government-market dynamics emerge and condition the progress of SGs in China. Our study reveals that the Chinese government has adopted a controlled dynamic approach to modulate the relationships between the government and the market within the power sector. This approach has both facilitated the creation of an enabling policy environment and imposed certain barriers to SG developments. The dominance of state-owned incumbents have on the one hand created state-driven market demand, reduction in technology costs and the influence of utility-led policy networks, but on the other hand, placing constraints on the growth of SG technologies. Our policy recommendations: China needs to formulate and implement SG policies which can effectively overcome key barriers which include under-developed regulatory frameworks, utilities’ disincentives to invest in renewable energy, and insufficiency in end-user engagements.

show abstract

Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

A functional dynamic framework for understanding new government-market relationships of smart energy transitions in China

Ngar-yin Mah,

Wang,

Wai-hei Siu

2023

Transactions in Planning and Urban Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Policy mix has become more important recently because of the challenges associated with achieving multiple policy objectives with a single policy [30][31][32][33][34][35]. There are various definitions of policy mix which depend on the specific research problem, but they generally revolve around the policy process and specific goals [36][37][38].…”

Section: Policy MIXmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acceptability toward Policy Mix: Impact of Low-Carbon Travel Intention, Fairness, and Effectiveness

Wang,

Feng,

Tang

2023

Sustainability

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Policymakers are implementing a combination of various travel demand management (TDM) policies to effectively reduce carbon emissions. Widespread acceptance of these policy mixes by residents plays a pivotal role in ensuring their successful implementation. Drawing upon the value–belief–norm (VBN) theory and policy-specific beliefs (perceived freedom, perceived fairness, and perceived effectiveness), this study evaluates the impact of low-carbon travel psychology and policy characteristics on the acceptability of a policy mix formed by the combination of mandatory measures and guiding measures within TDM. The empirical analysis leverages survey data obtained from 839 participants and employs a structural equation model. The results indicate that low-carbon travel willingness, perceived fairness, and perceived effectiveness significantly influence acceptability. Consequently, fostering low-carbon travel willingness among residents is essential for enhancing overall policy acceptability. Moreover, policy mixes that encompass incentives for the development of new energy vehicles (NEVs) are generally considered the most acceptable among residents due to their non-restrictive impact on private car usage. Given this analysis, policymakers should consider designing policy mixes that balance acceptability and effectiveness, such as incorporating policies for the development of NEVs, to address traffic pollution.

show abstract

“…As transport electrification enters the acceleration phase in pioneering regions such as California and follower countries such as Germany (IEA 2023), new types of challenges emerge. According to Markard et al (2020) such acceleration challenges include managing whole systems change alongside single innovations (Markard andHoffmann 2016, McMeekin et al 2019), the increasingly multi-system character of transitions (Rosenbloom 2020, Ertelt andKask 2024), resistance of declining industries (Geels 2014, Rosenbloom andRinscheid 2020), the need for major changes in consumer practises and demand patterns (Sopjani et al 2019, Whittle et al 2019, as well as the growing complexity of governing such transitions (Braams et al 2021, Song et al 2023. These challenge types, however, have not yet been systematically investigated for unfolding transitions, raising questions about their applicability and comprehensiveness.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges in accelerating net-zero transitions: insights from transport electrification in Germany and California

Rogge,

Goedeking

2024

Environ. Res. Lett.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Addressing the climate crisis necessitates accelerating transitions towards climate-neutral systems of production and consumption, with electrification emerging as a crucial decarbonisation strategy. The acceleration of such net-zero transitions across multiple systems faces significant resistance and contestation. In this paper, we propose an extended list of challenges unique to the acceleration phase of socio-technical transitions: we introduce ‘expansion and contestation’, ‘justice’, and ‘international dynamics’ as additional challenge types to complement the already acknowledged challenge types of ‘whole system change’, ‘multi-system interaction’, ‘decline and resistance’, ‘consumers and social practices’, and ‘governance’. We apply this analytical framework to the electrification of private-passenger vehicles and investigate the unfolding transition to e-mobility with evidence from expert interviews in Germany and California. We uncover over 50 real-world challenges associated with these net-zero transitions at the beginning of the acceleration phase. Most challenges fall within the categories of ‘expansion and contestation’ and ‘governance’. While Germany and California share many real-world challenges, we also find significant variation between both jurisdictions, which we attribute to differences in their automotive incumbency, transition governance approaches, sectoral institutions and socio-political contexts. We discuss implications for future research, arguing for greater attention to the dual politics of acceleration during net-zero transitions: political conflict not only centres around the decline of old industries and future losses, but also around the expansion of the new system and associated future gains.

show abstract

Mapping the governing entities and their interactions in designing policy mixes for sustainability transitions: The case of electric vehicles in China

Cited by 12 publications

References 121 publications

A functional dynamic framework for understanding new government-market relationships of smart energy transitions in China

A functional dynamic framework for understanding new government-market relationships of smart energy transitions in China

Acceptability toward Policy Mix: Impact of Low-Carbon Travel Intention, Fairness, and Effectiveness

Challenges in accelerating net-zero transitions: insights from transport electrification in Germany and California

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About