Configurations for energy transitions – how firm internal and external factors combine to contribute to the propensity of energy incumbents to implement radical innovations

Enabling a transition to a more sustainable energy system will require that existing energy firms implement innovations of which some are radical compared to the firms’ existing competence base or market conditions.

The current research on factors that influence incumbents’ propensity of implementing radical innovation reveal complex causal connections. This study offers a novel way of gaining more insights into this complexity by conducting a qualitative comparative analysis of a set of 20–50 Swedish local incumbent energy firms that have adopted or rejected radical innovations. Such an analysis will enable us to systematically consider the influence of factors collectively as configurations.

Instead of searching for one-fits-all solutions or particular critical factors, this project will offer several different successful combinations of factors that indicate successful but particular paths for diverse local energy incumbents.