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topics:transitions [2026/03/21 00:04] – Status: in-review admintopics:transitions [2026/04/13 14:48] (current) – vso_vso
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-<WRAP catbadge blue>Governance, Innovation & Changestatus: in-review+<WRAP catbadge blue>Governance, Innovation & Change
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 contributors: Vitaliy Soloviy contributors: Vitaliy Soloviy
 reviewers: [Names] reviewers: [Names]
-version: 4.0 +version: 4.1 
-updated: 17 March 2026+updated: 25 March 2026
 sensitivity: medium sensitivity: medium
-ai-disclosure: Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Anthropic) assisted with topic structuring, editorial revision, reference verification, and formatting; reviewed by [name], 17.03.2026+status: in-review 
 +ai-use: Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Anthropic) was used for topic structuring, editorial revision, reference verification, and formatting; reviewed by [name], 17.03.2026
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 Transition describes the process through which an energy system shifts from one configuration to another, involving changes in technologies, actor roles, institutional structures, and governance arrangements. In the context of smart grids, this means moving from centralised, unidirectional power systems toward decentralised, digitally coordinated ones — a process that is non-linear, contested, and never purely technical. Transition describes the process through which an energy system shifts from one configuration to another, involving changes in technologies, actor roles, institutional structures, and governance arrangements. In the context of smart grids, this means moving from centralised, unidirectional power systems toward decentralised, digitally coordinated ones — a process that is non-linear, contested, and never purely technical.
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 ===== Why this matters ===== ===== Why this matters =====
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 <WRAP callout> <WRAP callout>
-Transitions happen when niche innovations, regime pressures, and landscape dynamics interact in ways that produce lasting structural change — not when any one of them acts alone.+Transitions depend on the interplay of niche innovations, regime pressures, and landscape dynamics, which can produce lasting structural change.
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-===== A shared definition =====+===== Shared definitions =====
  
 Transition in the context of smart grids refers to the systemic reconfiguration of a socio-technical system, involving simultaneous changes in technologies, institutions, actor roles, and cultural expectations over extended time periods.((Markard, J., Raven, R., & Truffer, B. (2012). Sustainability transitions: An emerging field of research and its prospects. //Research Policy//, 41(6), 955–967. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2012.02.013)) Transition in the context of smart grids refers to the systemic reconfiguration of a socio-technical system, involving simultaneous changes in technologies, institutions, actor roles, and cultural expectations over extended time periods.((Markard, J., Raven, R., & Truffer, B. (2012). Sustainability transitions: An emerging field of research and its prospects. //Research Policy//, 41(6), 955–967. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2012.02.013))
  
-Socio-technical systems are organised and operated according to specific sets of principles that shape which technologies are selected, how actors relate to each other, and what is considered legitimate behaviour. These organising principles are embedded in institutions — the rules, norms, and beliefs that regulate, but do not determine, the perceptions and activities of actors. Institutions give systems stability, but actors are knowledgeable agents who can reflexively interpret rules, challenge norms, and actively reshape the systems they operate within.((ISGAN Working Group 7. (2023). //Programme of work: Smart grids transitions — on institutional change//. ISGAN. https://www.iea-isgan.org/our-work3/wg_7/))+Socio-technical systems are organised and operated according to specific sets of principles that shape which technologies are selected, how actors relate to each other, and what is considered legitimate behaviour. These organising principles are embedded in institutions — the rules, norms, and beliefs that regulate, but do not determine, the perceptions and activities of actors. Institutions give systems stability, but actors are knowledgeable agents who can reflexively interpret rules, challenge norms, and actively reshape the systems they operate within.((ISGAN Working Group 7. (2026). //WG 7: Smart Grid Transitions//. https://iea-isgan.org/our-work/wg-7-transitions//))
  
-{{:transitions:institutions_actors_technology.png|Institutions, Actors and Technology as interdependent dimensions of socio-technical systems}}+<WRAP figure> 
 +{{transitions:institutions_actors_technology.png?700|Institutions, actors, and technology as interdependent dimensions of socio-technical systems}}
  
-ISGAN Working Group 7 on Smart Grids Transitions frames the challenge across four interdependent dimensions:+**Figure 1.** Institutions, actors, and technology as interdependent dimensions of socio-technical systems. 
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-^ ^ ^ +ISGAN Working Group 7 frames the transition challenge across four interdependent dimensions: 
-^ Grid Technologies & Architecture \\ //generation, transmission, local grids, storage, supply, load// ^ Institutional Ecosystem & Networks \\ //sectoral, corporate, public, civic networks// ^ + 
-| **Actors and Users** \\ //producing, moving, living, other energy practices// | **Complex Governance Processes** \\ //anticipating, adapting, agile acting, orchestrating, steering// |+<WRAP tablecap> 
 +**Table 1.** Four interdependent dimensions of smart grid transitions.\\ 
 +//Source: ISGAN Working Group 7 (2023).// 
 +</WRAP> 
 + 
 +^ Grid technologies and architecture \\ //generation, transmission, local grids, storage, supply, load// ^ Institutional ecosystem and networks \\ //sectoral, corporate, public, civic networks// ^ 
 +| **Actors and users** \\ //producing, moving, living, other energy practices// | **Complex governance processes** \\ //anticipating, adapting, agile acting, orchestrating, steering// |
  
 Transitions involve simultaneous co-evolution across all four dimensions. Geels and Schot identify four distinct transition pathways: transformation (regime actors redirect the system under moderate pressure); technological substitution (mature niche innovations replace the regime under strong pressure); reconfiguration (symbiotic innovations trigger architectural change incrementally); and de-alignment and re-alignment (sudden disruption destabilises the regime before a new configuration emerges).((Geels, F. W., & Schot, J. (2007). Typology of sociotechnical transition pathways. //Research Policy//, 36(3), 399–417. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2007.01.003)) Transitions involve simultaneous co-evolution across all four dimensions. Geels and Schot identify four distinct transition pathways: transformation (regime actors redirect the system under moderate pressure); technological substitution (mature niche innovations replace the regime under strong pressure); reconfiguration (symbiotic innovations trigger architectural change incrementally); and de-alignment and re-alignment (sudden disruption destabilises the regime before a new configuration emerges).((Geels, F. W., & Schot, J. (2007). Typology of sociotechnical transition pathways. //Research Policy//, 36(3), 399–417. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2007.01.003))
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 +**Table 2.** Key terms in transition analysis.
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 +^ Term ^ Definition ^
 +| **Multi-level perspective** | An analytical framework explaining transitions through interactions between niche innovations, the established socio-technical regime, and broader landscape pressures.((Geels, F. W. (2011). The multi-level perspective on sustainability transitions. //Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions//, 1(1), 24–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2011.02.002)) |
 +| **Regime** | The dominant, stable configuration of technologies, institutions, actor networks, and cognitive frames constituting the established way of organising a socio-technical system. |
 +| **Transition pathway** | A distinct pattern through which a socio-technical regime changes, determined by the relative timing and strength of niche development and landscape pressure.((Geels, F. W., & Schot, J. (2007). Typology of sociotechnical transition pathways. //Research Policy//, 36(3), 399–417. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2007.01.003)) |
  
 ===== Perspectives ===== ===== Perspectives =====
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 ==== Actors and stakeholders ==== ==== Actors and stakeholders ====
  
-Transitions reshape actor constellations. Incumbent utilities face strategic choices about their business models while new entrants — aggregators, community energy organisations, platform operators — bring different capabilities and interests. Consumers become prosumers with generation assets and flexibility to offer. Crucially, transitions emerge from both intentional strategies and the unplanned outcomes of many actors pursuing their own agendas simultaneously.+Transitions reshape actor constellations. Incumbent utilities face strategic choices about their business models while new entrants — aggregators, community energy organisations, platform operators — bring different capabilities and interests. Consumers become prosumers with generation assets and flexibility to offer. Transitions emerge from both intentional strategies and the unplanned outcomes of many actors pursuing their own agendas simultaneously.
  
 <WRAP case> <WRAP case>
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 ==== Technologies and infrastructure ==== ==== Technologies and infrastructure ====
  
-Energy system infrastructure changes slowly. Transmission networks, distribution grids, and large generation plants have multi-decade lifespans. Smart grid technologies coexist with legacy infrastructure, requiring new interfaces, control approaches, and interoperability standards. The concept of system architecture captures how components are arranged: transitions often involve shifts from centralised, hierarchical configurations toward more distributed, networked ones.((Andersen, A., Markard, J., Bauknecht, D., & Korpås, M. (2023). Architectural change in accelerating transitions. //Energy Research and Social Science//, 97, 102945. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2023.102945))+Energy system infrastructure changes slowly. Transmission networks, distribution grids, and large generation plants have multi-decade lifespans. Smart grid technologies coexist with legacy infrastructure, requiring new interfaces, control approaches, and interoperability standards. Transitions often involve shifts from centralised, hierarchical configurations toward more distributed, networked ones.((Andersen, A., Markard, J., Bauknecht, D., & Korpås, M. (2023). Architectural change in accelerating transitions. //Energy Research and Social Science//, 97, 102945. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2023.102945))
  
 <WRAP case> <WRAP case>
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-===== Key terms =====+===== Distinctions and overlaps =====
  
-**Multi-level perspective:** an analytical framework explaining transitions through interactions between niche innovations, the established socio-technical regime, and broader landscape pressures.((Geels, F. W. (2011). The multi-level perspective on sustainability transitions: Responses to seven criticisms. //Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions//, 1(1), 24–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2011.02.002))+<WRAP distinction> 
 +**Transition vs. transformation** \\ 
 +In everyday usage the terms are interchangeable. In transition studies, transformation is one specific pathway within the MLP framework — where regime actors redirect the system under moderate landscape pressure without regime breakdown. Transition is the broader concept covering all pathways. 
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-**Regime:** the dominant, stable configuration of technologies, institutions, actor networks, and cognitive frames constituting the established way of organising a socio-technical system. +<WRAP distinction> 
- +**Transition vs. incremental change** \\ 
-**Transition pathway:** a distinct pattern through which a socio-technical regime changes, determined by the relative timing and strength of niche development and landscape pressure.((Geels, F. W., & Schot, J. (2007). Typology of sociotechnical transition pathways. //Research Policy//, 36(3), 399–417. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2007.01.003))+Incremental change improves a system within its existing architecture. Transition reconfigures the architecture itself — the relationships among components, the rules governing them, and the actor constellations that operate them. The distinction matters for policy design: transition-oriented governance requires different instruments than continuous improvement programmes. 
 +</WRAP>
  
 ===== Related topics ===== ===== Related topics =====
  
-{{tag>Institutions Governance Readiness Resilience Scenarios Digitalisation}} +[[topics:governance|Governance]] · [[topics:institutions|Institutions]] · [[topics:readiness|Readiness]] · [[topics:resilience|Resilience]] · [[topics:scenarios|Scenarios]] · [[topics:digitalisation|Digitalisation]] · [[topics:transition_pathways|Transition pathways]]
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-===== References ===== +
  
 +~~DISCUSSION~~