eprintid: 13987 rev_number: 17 eprint_status: archive userid: 353 dir: disk0/00/01/39/87 datestamp: 2016-11-24 18:52:51 lastmod: 2021-08-27 17:28:05 status_changed: 2016-11-24 18:52:51 type: article metadata_visibility: show creators_name: Cherp, A. creators_name: Vinichenko, V. creators_name: Jewell, J. creators_name: Suzuki, M. creators_name: Antal, M. creators_id: 8535 creators_orcid: 0000-0003-2846-9081 title: Comparing electricity transitions: A historical analysis of nuclear, wind and solar power in Germany and Japan ispublished: pub divisions: prog_ene keywords: Germany; Japan; Renewable electricity; Nuclear power; Energy transitions abstract: This paper contributes to understanding national variations in using low-carbon electricity sources by comparing the evolution of nuclear, wind and solar power in Germany and Japan. It develops and applies a framework for analyzing low-carbon electricity transitions based on interplay of techno-economic, political and socio-technical processes. We explain why in the 1970s–1980s, the energy paths of the two countries were remarkably similar, but since the 1990s Germany has become a leader in renewables while phasing out nuclear energy, whereas Japan has deployed less renewables while becoming a leader in nuclear power. We link these differences to the faster growth of electricity demand and energy insecurity in Japan, the easier diffusion of onshore wind power technology and the weakening of the nuclear power regime induced by stagnation and competition from coal and renewables in Germany. We show how these changes involve the interplay of five distinct mechanisms which may also play a role in other energy transitions. date: 2017-02 date_type: published publisher: Elsevier id_number: doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2016.10.044 creators_browse_id: 136 full_text_status: public publication: Energy Policy volume: 101 pagerange: 612-628 refereed: TRUE issn: 0301-4215 projects: Linking Climate and Development Policies - Leveraging International Networks and Knowledge Sharing (CD-LINKS, H2020 642147) coversheets_dirty: FALSE fp7_project: yes fp7_project_id: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/642147/EU/Linking Climate and Development Policies - Leveraging International Networks and Knowledge Sharing/CD-LINKS fp7_type: info:eu-repo/semantics/article access_rights: info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess citation: Cherp, A., Vinichenko, V., Jewell, J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2846-9081 , Suzuki, M., & Antal, M. (2017). Comparing electricity transitions: A historical analysis of nuclear, wind and solar power in Germany and Japan. Energy Policy 101 612-628. 10.1016/j.enpol.2016.10.044 . document_url: https://pure.iiasa.ac.at/id/eprint/13987/1/1-s2.0-S030142151630595X-main.pdf