Emergence of Energy Services Ecosystems: Scenario Method as a Policy Enabler

The very nature of the energy sector, as a highly regulated and
capital-intensive sector, as well as the challenges imposed by the
global transition to renewable energy, have made the emergence of
innovation ecosystems, which are necessary for the development and
commercialization of new solutions, rather challenging. We examine the
emergence of energy services ecosystems from a policy perspective,
suggesting the scenario method as an enabler for focusing the attention
of relevant actors and identifying triggering events that guide their
activities toward a shared future. We illustrate our arguments using
three case examples from Finnish public policy. Our study contributes to
the nascent literature of ecosystem emergence and public innovation
policy in the field of energy services.