Stakeholder Interactions in the Adoption of Household Solar Power Systems
This study explores the ways in which key stakeholders influence and affect each other in the adoption of household solar power systems. Building on a multi-level perspective of socio-technical transitions, this study will investigate how solar powered households, electricity industry firms and government influence and affect each other in the adoption of household solar power systems. Case studies will be conducted in Victoria, Australia and North Rhine Westphalia, Germany using data obtained from multiple sources including documents, questionnaires and interviews.
Adrian completed his PhD in sustainable energy transitions at the University of Melbourne in 2020 and is now a Research Fellow at the Energy Transition Hub where he is researching the role of community renewable energy groups and projects in the transition to a low carbon future. Prior to this, he worked in corporate partnership and innovation roles with international development and environment organisations in Australia and the United Kingdom, building on his earlier career as a corporate lawyer. With degrees in economics, law, development studies, and energy transitions, Adrian’s core research interests focus on ways and means of accelerating shifts to more sustainable ways of meeting societal needs.
PhD Project: Regime resistance and accommodation in sustainable energy transitions.
To accelerate the decarbonisation of electricity generation, a more nuanced understanding of the power and influence of large electricity firms and their industry organisations is required. Applying critical political economy concepts to sustainability transitions theory, this study investigated the ways in which incumbent firms contributed to the development of residential solar feed-in tariffs in Victoria, Australia. The single case study collected and analysed data from documents and in-depth, semi-structured interviews with key informants. The research found that incumbent actors drew on material, institutional and discursive forms of power to both resist and accommodate feed-in tariffs, generating useful insights for policymakers, firms and civil society organisations.
Supervisors: Professor John Wiseman, Dr Adam Bumpus, Dr Sebastian Thomas
Start Date: October 2013 Completion: February 2020
Contact: adrian.ford@unimelb.edu.au