The multidimensional approach to low-carbon energy transition

Tipo di pubblicazione: BROCHURE

Autori: Alice Gorrino, Roberta Roberto, Daniele Russolillo

Editore: ENEA

Anno: 2018

The current short paper aims at explaining the approach of the Alpine Space IMEAS - Integrated and Multi-level Energy models for the Alpine Space - project (co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the INTERREG Alpine Space programme) to tackle what in literature is known as the “policy silo” problem, which is even more complicated when applied to low-carbon energy planning, strategies implementation and monitoring. Supra-national governments (as the EC), national and local governments, agencies, international, national and local private groups of interest can make a great difference to support building local economically viable and sustainable communities. Nevertheless, these actors can not make a difference if policies or strategies are fragmented at the different institutional levels of implementation or if the objectives are not harmonized or missing at some levels and the actors already cited do not communicate with each other. In times of large opportunities made possible by advanced and cheaper technology solutions, the innovation stream is usually blocked by non-technological problems such as missing incentive alignments and poor information flow amongst actors.

IMEAS intends to analyse the silos that pertain to low-carbon energy transition, studying each silo and highlighting where the critical issues, barriers or opportunities exist, to ensure integration. A definition of silo is proposed, as well as a classification of multi-dimensional integration that goes beyond the classic multi-level governance known in literature by policy makers and practitioners. The preliminary analysis of multi-dimensional and multi-actor initiatives (case studies) in three Countries in the Alpine Region is reported.