ABSTRACT
Despite some inroads signalling energy shifts in the electricity and transportation sectors, such as the increase of wind and solar power, for other renewable electricity sources and other sectors, such as heat provision, changes have been more incremental. Renewable energy is still resisted in many large cities worldwide, including in the global South. This book argues that existing ways aimed at increasing RET uptake where economics dominate will not translate into the rate and scale of energy system change required. Rather, we must spend more time understanding the social context of energy. That history, time and place, and policies matter is hardly news. But how? This chapter focuses on the second of three arguments – namely the need to pay attention to local technology cooperation dynamics.
To help understand energy system changes within these contexts, the author developed and applied an analytical framework termed urban technology cooperation. Its application at the meso level showed the following insights. First, stronger links between different players in both cities existed, such as an industry association and the local-level government, or namely the National Association of Solar Energy (ANES) and the Secretary of the Environment of the Federal District (municipal level) in Mexico City. In São Paulo, there were networks between the trade association (ABRAVA-DASOL) and a Brazilian environmental non-governmental organization, Vitae Civilis, as well as another Brazilian non-governmental organization, Sociedade do Sol, which was focused on providing low-cost and locally procured solar water heaters (ascribing to Schumacher’s (1973) Small is Beautiful approach to technology). However, divisions occurred too within these networks. Nevertheless, second, networks were around longer and were more solidified in Brazil – including links between the public and private sectors and academia, and at times community members. Groups would also come together more frequently in São Paulo on larger issues. By contrast, links were more recent and ad hoc in Mexico City, and there was less coherence of positions by these stakeholders. Thirdly, international influences on environmental issues, such as climate change, where, particularly in the case of biogas, the potential for its adoption to reduce GHG emissions generated investment interest, also played a role in both places. However, domestic actors were more prevalent in São Paulo, while foreigners were the key drivers in Mexico City, especially with respect to biogas, which arguably had a negative effect on adoption.
