TY - JOUR
T1 - The Ecosystems Perspective in Energy Research
T2 - A New Field is Born?
AU - Chatzinikolaou, Dimos
AU - Vlados, Charis
AU - Kokkinaki, Angelika
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025, Econjournals. All rights reserved.
PY - 2025/12/22
Y1 - 2025/12/22
N2 - The “ecosystem perspective” seems to be gaining importance in energy research. This paper offers a systematic review of 98 articles to shed light on the burgeoning interest in the “energy ecosystems” perspective. The growth in energy ecosystems research stems from several factors: the integration of approaches that connect energy flows with ecological concepts, the inclusion of emerging technologies and socio-technical nuances, and a significant uptick in academic publications over recent years. Our review identifies four pivotal trends shaping the energy ecosystems discourse: “industrial ecology and sustainable development,” “energy transition and socioeconomic evolution,” “business and innovation ecosystems in energy,” “distributed energy systems, smart grid innovations, and associated policy-regulation dynamics.” These trends underscore a pronounced emphasis on energy efficiency in the pertinent literature. Looking ahead, there’s a case for adopting a comprehensive macro-meso-micro framework, with a particular spotlight on the intricate roles of individual energy firms within these ecosystems.
AB - The “ecosystem perspective” seems to be gaining importance in energy research. This paper offers a systematic review of 98 articles to shed light on the burgeoning interest in the “energy ecosystems” perspective. The growth in energy ecosystems research stems from several factors: the integration of approaches that connect energy flows with ecological concepts, the inclusion of emerging technologies and socio-technical nuances, and a significant uptick in academic publications over recent years. Our review identifies four pivotal trends shaping the energy ecosystems discourse: “industrial ecology and sustainable development,” “energy transition and socioeconomic evolution,” “business and innovation ecosystems in energy,” “distributed energy systems, smart grid innovations, and associated policy-regulation dynamics.” These trends underscore a pronounced emphasis on energy efficiency in the pertinent literature. Looking ahead, there’s a case for adopting a comprehensive macro-meso-micro framework, with a particular spotlight on the intricate roles of individual energy firms within these ecosystems.
KW - Distributed Energy Systems
KW - Energy Ecosystem
KW - Energy Transition
KW - Industrial Ecology
KW - Macro-Meso-Micro Framework
KW - Systematic Literature Review
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85213798958&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.32479/ijeep.16030
DO - 10.32479/ijeep.16030
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85213798958
SN - 2146-4553
VL - 15
SP - 249
EP - 266
JO - International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy
JF - International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy
IS - 1
ER -