The ‘patchy’ spread of renewables: A socio-territorial perspective on the energy transition process

In the energy transition process the district heating networks and the wind power facilities play a key role. These two technologies can contribute to establish models of co-provision involving new social actors in the energy field. Despite that, the socio-organizational change appears patchy. In Italy, these options are dominated by large utilities and the few forms of energy co-production are to be found in specific contexts. The influence of socio-territorial features on the energy transition seem relevant. This paper aims analysing energy transition while focusing on the institutional, relational and territorial dimensions to unfold how energy innovations take place within territorial contexts. In this respect, energy transition is investigated considering both the district heating and the wind power in Italy. The analysis suggests that the transition is influenced by the way in which territorial context is destabilized by the perturbations of energy landscape.