Legitimation and guidance in scaling up energy innovation systems

Abstract

This paper examines the role of legitimacy and guidance in accelerating the take-off of emerging low-carbon innovations. We analyze the national roadmaps that have been developed for offshore wind energy in deep waters (more than 50 meters deep) which strives to enlarge the scale of the technology and market. The analysis focus on how actors create and share collective visions to prepare the growth of the system. The results point to different types of guidance depending on the technological and institutional context, particularly a higher external openness as technology matures and governments get involved. A survey of actors’ opinion complements the roadmaps analysis revealing the tendency for over inflating expectations. It suggests roadmaps have had a positive, though limited, impact on the technology development. Policy implications include recommendations for managing the process of formation of visions of new technologies entering into upscaling.