Towards a smarter electricity grid: The upscaling of experimental smart grid projects in the Netherlands

The basic infrastructure of the electricity grids in the Netherlands has remained unchanged over the past hundred years. However, future developments, such as the introduction of large-scale low carbon energy sources leading to fluctuating production, and new loads (e.g. electric vehicles) are great challenges for the aging grids. Hence, a new grid infrastructure is needed that can handle these challenges. A smart grid, that uses a two-way flow of electricity and information to create an automated distributed energy delivery network, is expected to be a solution for these future challenges. To experiment and accelerate the diffusion of smart grids, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) initiated the Innovation Programme Smart Grids (IPIN) in 2009. Twelve experiments were part of this programme. In 2015 the programme finished, but a widespread transformation to smart grids has not yet been achieved. In this research, four experiments of the IPIN are analysed through interviews and additional project documents, using a framework that combines the Strategic Niche Management (SNM) with the technological configurations (TC) literature. The main aim was to analyse how and why some smart grid experiments scaled up, while others have not. Upscaling is important as it may increase the potential to eventually achieve a transition. The most important finding is that the experiments that are well managed in terms of SNM and TC processes are more successful regarding upscaling. Furthermore, this study contributes to the development of a typology for upscaling — several patterns of upscaling in combination with important processes for that particular pattern of scaling are identified in the cases. Moreover, several barriers for wide-scale smart grid implementation are identified: - Business cases are not (yet) positive for most stakeholders; - Regulations are unclear and often not well suited for the smart grid situation; - Technologies and services from different vendors are not compatible caused by a lack of (open) standardization; - There is a lack of experience with new market models/frameworks for a smart infrastructure; - The current electricity regime is very reliable resulting in a lack of a sense of urgency. Moreover, the research contributes to the literature on intermediary organisations in transitions by identifying several intermediating activities that RVO conducted. The study concludes with some interesting avenues for further research on experiment upscaling and smart grid development, and some policy implications for smart grid experiments and programmes that take the above aspects into account