Herrmann Regional Energy 2050: A sustainability-oriented strategic backcasting methodology for local utilities

1. Auflage 2011
ISBN: 978-3-86618-702-3
Verlag: Edition Rainer Hampp
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 329 Seiten

A turnaround in the way we convert and consume energy is the key to successful climate change mitigation. Taking a micro-economic perspective, in order to put the necessary changes into practice corporations in the energy sector need not only have a long-term vision of the developments necessary up to the year 2050. They also have to understand the impacts these developments will have on the firm's competitiveness in short- and medium-term. Does this cause a dilemma? At least this challenge is not addressed in classical strategic management literature. The book at hand shows that sustainable development is about to become a central element of strategic management and corporate decision-making. However, classical trend-based strategy approaches do not address the systemic challenges that arise from the need for sustainable development, especially major emission reductions in the energy sector appropriately. A sustainability-oriented business strategy has to be based on a different understanding of the corporate targets, the strategic decision-making process and the role of the firm within its natural and societal environment. The author shows how corporations can engage in such a target-oriented strategy discussion by using strategic backcasting as a tool to describe their long-term targets and derive necessary measures. These corporate “milestones” need to be prepared and pro-actively realised within a corridor that is formed by external “crossroad" decisions on the different levels of energy and climate policy. A case study clarifies the presented strategic backcasting approach for local utilities. It also highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the method.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Herrmann, Nicolai

Fachgebiete

• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Volkswirtschaftslehre Regional- und Städtische Wirtschaft
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Wirtschaftssektoren & Branchen Energie- & Versorgungswirtschaft
• Geowissenschaften Geographie | Raumplanung Regional- & Raumplanung Stadtplanung, Kommunale Planung

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Preface;6
2;Acknowledgement;7
3;Overview;8
4;Table of contents;9
5;Abstract;14
6;Summary;15
7;1 Introduction and definitions;21
7.1;1.1 Problem statement and motivation;21
7.2;1.2 Derivation of research questions;27
7.3;1.3 Initial assumptions and definitions;29
7.4;1.4 Sustainability Sustainability definition and adaptation for the energy sector;41
7.5;1.5 Summary and conclusion for chapter one;61
8;2 Sustainability and business strategy;62
8.1;2.1 Perspectives on corporate economic and environmental performance;62
8.2;2.2 Definition of a strategic development corridor for corporations;70
8.3;2.3 Strategic necessity of corporate sustainability-orientation;79
8.4;2.4 Summary and conclusion for chapter two;90
9;3 Future studies and business strategy;92
9.1;3.1 Introduction to future studies;92
9.2;3.2 History and state of the art of backcasting;106
9.3;3.3 Strategic backcasting and other strategy schools;113
9.4;3.4 Arguments for a novel backcasting methodology for local utilities;124
9.5;3.5 Summary and conclusion for chapter three;126
10;4 A novel strategic backcasting methodology for local utilities;128
10.1;4.1 Definition of criteria and targets for a sustainable future energy system;131
10.2;4.2 Description of a regional target scenario;138
10.3;4.3 Analysis of status quo;146
10.4;4.4 Derivation of external crossroads and internal milestones;154
10.5;4.5 Identification of a strategic development pathway;193
10.6;4.6 Summary and conclusion for the methodological section;205
11;5 Case study study sample application of strategic backcasting;207
11.1;5.1 Step 1: Definition of criteria and targets for the future energy system;209
11.2;5.2 Step 2: Description of a regional target scenario;229
11.3;5.3 Step 3: Description of the status quo;240
11.4;5.4 Step 4: External crossroads and internal milestones;262
11.5;5.5 Step 5: Identification of a strategic development pathway;283
11.6;5.6 Summary and conclusion for the case study;291
12;6 Critical assessment and conclusions;293
12.1;6.1 Lessons learned from the case study;293
12.2;6.2 Critical reflection of the strategic backcasting methodology;301
12.3;6.3 Further research needs;304
12.4;6.4 Summary and conclusion for chapter six;307
13;List of figures;309
14;List of tables;312
15;Reference list;314

Über Autor(innen)

Nicolai Herrmann (1981) studied energy and environmental management at Flensburg University and Griffith University (Australia). He finished his PhD thesis on strategic backcasting in cooperation with a German utility company. Since 2006 he works in the energy industry.