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  • © 2017

Complex Systems and Social Practices in Energy Transitions

Framing Energy Sustainability in the Time of Renewables

Editors:

  • Furthers our understanding of sustainable energy transition
  • Covers complex systems and social practice theories
  • Maximizes reader insights into sustainable energy policies
  • Provides recommendations for policy design and implementation
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Part of the book series: Green Energy and Technology (GREEN)

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Hardcover Book USD 179.99
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Table of contents (15 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxx
  2. The Social Construction of Complex Systems

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
    2. Complex Systems: The Latest Human Artefact

      • Nicola Labanca
      Pages 3-28
    3. Energy and Complex Systems Dynamics

      • Nicola Labanca
      Pages 29-57
  3. Complex Systems and Sustainable Energy Transitions

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 59-59
    2. Complexification in the Energiewende

      • Franco Ruzzenenti, Brian D. Fath
      Pages 61-80
    3. Present Energy Metabolism and the Future of Renewables

      • Franco Ruzzenenti, Brian D. Fath
      Pages 81-100
    4. Energy Conservation Policies in the Light of the Energetics of Evolution

      • Franco Ruzzenenti, Paolo Bertoldi
      Pages 147-167
  4. Complex Systems, Social Practices and Issues Generated by Reification

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 169-169
    2. Radical Transitions from Fossil Fuel to Renewables: A Change of Posture

      • Timothy Allen, Joseph Tainter, Duncan Shaw, Mario Giampietro, Zora Kovacic
      Pages 221-235
    3. Energy Systems and Energy-Related Practices

      • David S. Byrne, Françoise Bartiaux
      Pages 305-320
  5. Summary and Conclusions

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 321-321
    2. Key Messages from the Authors of the Book

      • Nicola Labanca, Paolo Bertoldi, Isabella Maschio, Daniele Paci
      Pages 323-337

About this book

This book offers an interdisciplinary discussion of the fundamental issues concerning policies for sustainable transition to renewable energies from the perspectives of sociologists, physicists, engineers, economists, anthropologists, biologists, ecologists and policy analysts. Adopting a combined approach, these are analysed taking both complex systems and social practice theories into consideration to provide deeper insights into the evolution of energy systems.

The book then draws a series of important conclusions and makes recommendations for the research community and policy makers involved in the design and implementation of policies for sustainable energy transitions.

Editors and Affiliations

  • European Commission, Directorate-General Joint Research Centre, Unit C.02 Energy Efficiency and Renewables, Ispra, Italy

    Nicola Labanca

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access