Critical perspectives on disruptive innovation and energy transformation

Wilson, Charlie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8164-3566 and Tyfield, David (2018) Critical perspectives on disruptive innovation and energy transformation. Energy Research & Social Science, 37. pp. 211-215. ISSN 2214-6296

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Abstract

What are ‘disruption’ and ‘disruptive innovation’? And what relevance do they have for energy transformation? Ten critical perspectives offer ten contrasting responses to these questions. The relevance of Christensen’s canonical definition of disruptive innovation is highly contested in its applicability to energy and climate challenges, as is the usefulness of analysing discrete business models or technologies rather than socio-technical systems. Further research on disruptive innovation and energy transformation needs to tackle: (i) the social, systemic and emissions impact of widespread adoption; (ii) how to mitigate the adverse distributional consequences of disruption; (iii) the consumer appeal of ‘good enough’ products for users marginalised or excluded from mainstream markets; (iv) the role of incumbents in system transformation; and (v) the reasons for geographic variation in disruption processes currently underway.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: sdg 13 - climate action ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/climate_action
UEA Research Groups: University of East Anglia Schools > Faculty of Science > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
Depositing User: Pure Connector
Date Deposited: 29 Nov 2017 06:07
Last Modified: 22 Oct 2022 03:22
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/65601
DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2017.10.032

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