Negotiating Sustainable Innovation? Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies in Germany

in European Journal of Environmental Sciences (2013), 3(1), 65-71

Recently, the German Federal Government made the consequential decision to change its energy program. This not only as a result of the decision to shut down the existing nuclear power plants within the ... [more ▼]

Recently, the German Federal Government made the consequential decision to change its energy program. This not only as a result of the decision to shut down the existing nuclear power plants within the next few years, but also due to vital challenges like climate change and security of energy supply. The shift in the energy-technology paradigm from fossil fuel technologies to regenerative energies might appear as a merely technical process at first glance. Yet, the road to environmental sustainability is paved with economic and social stumbling blocks. The concept of sustainable development is not a blueprint for technical progress but requires deliberations on questions about innovations and governance: How do we want to live and how do we want to get there? This paper traces the negotiations of sustainable innovation on the example of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in Germany. The institutional set up in this field is analyzed and the new organizational actors are identified. These actors attempt to inform and persuade others of the benefits of hydrogen and fuel cells in order to establish a common view that is to guide the further development. However, while they succeeded in mobilizing enough actors to launch the largest Public Private Partnership in this sector in the EU, they could not attain the leadership in the public discourse on these technologies. It seems that an attractive guiding vision of a sustainable, post-fossil energy future and a broad acceptance in daily use would have been major prerequisites for such leadership. [less ▲]

Alternative energy technologies as a cultural endeavor: a case study of hydrogen and fuel cell development in Germany

in Energy, Sustainability and Society (2012), 2(2), 1-10

Background: The wider background to this article is the shift in the energy paradigm from fossil energy sources to renewable sources which should occur in the twenty-first century. This transformation ... [more ▼]

Background: The wider background to this article is the shift in the energy paradigm from fossil energy sources to renewable sources which should occur in the twenty-first century. This transformation requires the development of alternative energy technologies that enable the deployment of renewable energy sources in transportation, heating, and electricity. Among others, hydrogen and fuel cell technologies have the potential to fulfill this requirement and to contribute to a sustainable and emission-free transport and energy system. However, whether they will ever reach broad societal acceptance will not only depend on technical issues alone. The aim of our study is to reveal the importance of nontechnical issues. Therefore, the article at hand presents a case study of hydrogen and fuel cells in Germany and aims at highlighting the cultural context that affects their development. Methods: Our results were obtained from a rich pool of data generated in various research projects through more than 30 in-depth interviews, direct observations, and document analyses. Results: We found that individual and collective actors developed five specific supportive practices which they deploy in five diverse arenas of meaning in order to attach certain values to hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. Conclusions: Based on the results, we drew more general conclusions and deducted an overall model for the analysis of culture in technological innovations that is outlined at the end of the article. It constitutes our contribution to the interdisciplinary collaboration required for tackling the shift in this energy paradigm. [less ▲]