Low carbon niches 2010-2014

Smith, Adrian (2019). Low carbon niches 2010-2014. [Data Collection]. Colchester, Essex: UK Data Archive. 10.5255/UKDA-SN-851433

This project will analyse the politics of providing 'protective space' for innovative sustainable developments. Sustainable innovation theory emphasises innovation processes developing within protective niches.

These spaces accumulate experience through real world experimentation and help carry technologies from demonstration and into commercial use. Three low carbon technologies important to Dutch and UK climate policy will be studied: photovoltaic cell; offshore wind; carbon capture and storage.

As public support under climate policy grows, will political competition for protective space increase amongst technology advocates? Analysis will look at the arguments advanced by advocates of each technology, and the audiences to whom these arguments are made. The networks of actors (individuals and institutions) that contribute to the development of these narratives will be explored for how they verify and spread the argument; and how their activities generate different forms of protection, eg economic subsidies, public investments, institutional support, valued knowledge, political backing, attaining positive symbolic significance. Importantly, we are interested in how these forms of protection feedback into the development of the niche innovations and affect their development.

Data description (abstract)

Review and synthesis of literature and empirical research into six case studies across two different countries: UK and the Netherlands. The case studies were three different low carbon technologies in each country: solar photovoltaic, offshore wind, and carbon capture and storage. This was followed by elite interviews with experts in the field.

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