ABSTRACT
The threats posed by climate change are changing both public and private governance, on international, national and local levels. Consequently, enhancing the renewable energy transition is becoming increasingly important, however, remains a field in need of further analysis and discussion.
Since 2012 there has been a drastic increase in corporate procurement of renewable energy, and more attention is now given to corporations’ role in the renewable energy transition. This chapter has two purposes: First, it sets out to contribute to the energy transition debate by investigating how multinational corporations are influencing the process. Second, it seeks to explore the potential for corporate leadership on the matter in the Arctic.
Existing socio-technical system models provide the analytical framework used to position corporations in the renewable energy transition. A case study of Google reveals key mechanisms indicating how corporations’ influence the transition process. These indications are subsequently used to analyze the possibilities for corporations’ influence on the renewable energy transition in the Arctic region.
This study finds that corporations play an essential role in the renewable energy transition by influencing regulations, adding renewable energy to the grid through procurement strategies and encouraging other businesses to follow suit. It further suggests that there is a potential to enhance the renewable transition in certain regions of the Arctic through increased corporate efforts.
