Greening the grid : the ecological modernisation of network-bound systems

 

Environmental innovation in network-bound systems influences the traditional relations between providers of these services and consumers. By applying ecological modernisation theory to environmental innovation in Dutch water and electricity systems, it is argued that projects which aim at 'environmental monitoring' and 'environmental differentiation' are most relevant to study the changing relations between consumers and providers as well as opportunities for environmental reform.

Consumer-oriented environmental monitoring offers transparency to both consumers and providers concerning environmental performance. Monitoring and metering projects in Dutch water and electricity systems do not yet meet the requirements of transparency in environmental performance at both sides of the meter.

Environmental differentiation and market liberalisation of network-bound systems enable users to make a shift from the traditional role of 'captive consumer' to that of 'customer', 'co-provider' and 'citizen-consumer'. The study of environmental differentiation in Dutch water and electricity sectors illustrated that consumer involvement towards providers indeed diversifies along these lines.

The insights in this study of consumer-provider relations in water and electricity systems are also valid for the ecological modernisation of other network-bound systems like transport and sanitation systems and other systems of provision such as the food sector.