Emergence of Energy Services Ecosystems: Scenario Method as a Policy Enabler

Abstract

The very nature of the energy sector, as a highly regulated and capital-intensive sector, as well as the challenges imposed by the global transition to renewable energy, have made the emergence of innovation ecosystems, which are necessary for the development and commercialization of new solutions, rather challenging. We examine the emergence of energy services ecosystems from a policy perspective, suggesting the scenario method as an enabler for focusing the attention of relevant actors and identifying triggering events that guide their activities toward a shared future. We illustrate our arguments using three case examples from Finnish public policy. Our study contributes to the nascent literature of ecosystem emergence and public innovation policy in the field of energy services.

Keywords

• ecosystem
• innovation
• emergence
• energy services
• scenario method
• research policy