Clean energy storage technology in the making: An innovation systems perspective on flywheel energy storage

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Standard

Clean energy storage technology in the making : An innovation systems perspective on flywheel energy storage. / Wicki, Samuel ; Hansen, Erik.

In: Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 162, 20.09.2017, p. 1118-1134.

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Harvard

APA

Vancouver

Bibtex

@article{041d143cb0b84169839209ba87ebb299,
title = "Clean energy storage technology in the making: An innovation systems perspective on flywheel energy storage",
abstract = "The emergence and diffusion of green and sustainable technologies is full of obstacles and has therefore become an important area of research. We are interested in further understanding the dynamics between entrepreneurial experimentation, market formation, and institutional contexts, together playing a decisive role for successful diffusion of such technologies. Accordingly, we study these processes by adopting a technological innovation system perspective focusing on actors, networks, and institutions as well as the functions provided by them. Using a qualitative case study research design, we focus on the high-speed flywheel energy storage technology. As flywheels are based on a rotating mass allowing short-term storage of energy in kinetic form, they represent an environmentally-friendly alternative to electrochemical batteries and therefore can play an important role in sustainable energy transitions. Our contribution is threefold: First, regarding the flywheel energy storage technology, our findings reveal two subsystems and related markets in which development took different courses. In the automotive sector, flywheels are developing well as a braking energy recovery technology under the influence of two motors of innovation. In the electricity sector, they are stagnating at the stage of demonstration projects because of two important system weaknesses that counteract demand for storage. Second, we contribute to the theory of technological innovation systems by better understanding the internal dynamics between different functions of an innovation system as well as between the innovation system and its (external) contextual structures. Our third contribution is methodological. According to our best knowledge, we are the first to use system dynamics to (qualitatively) analyze and visualize dynamics between the diverse functions of innovation systems with the aim of enabling a better understanding of complex and iterative system processes. The paper also derives important implications for energy scholars, flywheel practitioners, and policymakers.",
keywords = "Sustainability sciences, Management & Economics, Technology innovation system, functions of innovation systems, green technology, sustainable energy, flywheel energy storage, short-term storage, batteries, kinetic energy recovery systems, Batteries, flywheel energy storage, functions of innovation systems, green technology, kinetic energy recovery systems, short-term storage, sustainable energy, Technology innovation system",
author = "Samuel Wicki and Erik Hansen",
note = "Funding Information: This research was made possible through funding by the EU FP7 ?Marie Curie Action: Initial Training Network? on I4S (?Innovation for Sustainability?), Grant Agreement PITN-GA-2012-316604. Moreover, this research has been partially developed within Leuphana University of Luneburg's Innovation Incubator ? funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) ? as part of the Visiting Professorship of Energy Transition Management. Furthermore, we thank Felix Czernin for his contribution in data collection in the context of his master's thesis. Finally, we thank Hendrik Schaede for his helpful input of technical aspects of the flywheel technology. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 The Authors",
year = "2017",
month = sep,
day = "20",
doi = "10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.05.132",
language = "English",
volume = "162",
pages = "1118--1134",
journal = "Journal of Cleaner Production",
issn = "0959-6526",
publisher = "Elsevier Science",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Clean energy storage technology in the making

T2 - An innovation systems perspective on flywheel energy storage

AU - Wicki, Samuel

AU - Hansen, Erik

N1 - Funding Information: This research was made possible through funding by the EU FP7 ?Marie Curie Action: Initial Training Network? on I4S (?Innovation for Sustainability?), Grant Agreement PITN-GA-2012-316604. Moreover, this research has been partially developed within Leuphana University of Luneburg's Innovation Incubator ? funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) ? as part of the Visiting Professorship of Energy Transition Management. Furthermore, we thank Felix Czernin for his contribution in data collection in the context of his master's thesis. Finally, we thank Hendrik Schaede for his helpful input of technical aspects of the flywheel technology. Publisher Copyright: © 2017 The Authors

PY - 2017/9/20

Y1 - 2017/9/20

N2 - The emergence and diffusion of green and sustainable technologies is full of obstacles and has therefore become an important area of research. We are interested in further understanding the dynamics between entrepreneurial experimentation, market formation, and institutional contexts, together playing a decisive role for successful diffusion of such technologies. Accordingly, we study these processes by adopting a technological innovation system perspective focusing on actors, networks, and institutions as well as the functions provided by them. Using a qualitative case study research design, we focus on the high-speed flywheel energy storage technology. As flywheels are based on a rotating mass allowing short-term storage of energy in kinetic form, they represent an environmentally-friendly alternative to electrochemical batteries and therefore can play an important role in sustainable energy transitions. Our contribution is threefold: First, regarding the flywheel energy storage technology, our findings reveal two subsystems and related markets in which development took different courses. In the automotive sector, flywheels are developing well as a braking energy recovery technology under the influence of two motors of innovation. In the electricity sector, they are stagnating at the stage of demonstration projects because of two important system weaknesses that counteract demand for storage. Second, we contribute to the theory of technological innovation systems by better understanding the internal dynamics between different functions of an innovation system as well as between the innovation system and its (external) contextual structures. Our third contribution is methodological. According to our best knowledge, we are the first to use system dynamics to (qualitatively) analyze and visualize dynamics between the diverse functions of innovation systems with the aim of enabling a better understanding of complex and iterative system processes. The paper also derives important implications for energy scholars, flywheel practitioners, and policymakers.

AB - The emergence and diffusion of green and sustainable technologies is full of obstacles and has therefore become an important area of research. We are interested in further understanding the dynamics between entrepreneurial experimentation, market formation, and institutional contexts, together playing a decisive role for successful diffusion of such technologies. Accordingly, we study these processes by adopting a technological innovation system perspective focusing on actors, networks, and institutions as well as the functions provided by them. Using a qualitative case study research design, we focus on the high-speed flywheel energy storage technology. As flywheels are based on a rotating mass allowing short-term storage of energy in kinetic form, they represent an environmentally-friendly alternative to electrochemical batteries and therefore can play an important role in sustainable energy transitions. Our contribution is threefold: First, regarding the flywheel energy storage technology, our findings reveal two subsystems and related markets in which development took different courses. In the automotive sector, flywheels are developing well as a braking energy recovery technology under the influence of two motors of innovation. In the electricity sector, they are stagnating at the stage of demonstration projects because of two important system weaknesses that counteract demand for storage. Second, we contribute to the theory of technological innovation systems by better understanding the internal dynamics between different functions of an innovation system as well as between the innovation system and its (external) contextual structures. Our third contribution is methodological. According to our best knowledge, we are the first to use system dynamics to (qualitatively) analyze and visualize dynamics between the diverse functions of innovation systems with the aim of enabling a better understanding of complex and iterative system processes. The paper also derives important implications for energy scholars, flywheel practitioners, and policymakers.

KW - Sustainability sciences, Management & Economics

KW - Technology innovation system

KW - functions of innovation systems

KW - green technology

KW - sustainable energy

KW - flywheel energy storage

KW - short-term storage

KW - batteries

KW - kinetic energy recovery systems

KW - Batteries

KW - flywheel energy storage

KW - functions of innovation systems

KW - green technology

KW - kinetic energy recovery systems

KW - short-term storage

KW - sustainable energy

KW - Technology innovation system

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85024105091&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.05.132

DO - 10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.05.132

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 29263586

VL - 162

SP - 1118

EP - 1134

JO - Journal of Cleaner Production

JF - Journal of Cleaner Production

SN - 0959-6526

ER -