2011 International Conference on Alternative Energy in Developing Countries and Emerging Economies
- 262 -
Abstract
--
Energy transitions have been studied in
varieties ways, in order to more sustainable development
directions. Multi level perspective (MLP) is a conceptual
framework for technological transition analysis, divided
as macro, meso and micro levels. This article aims to
reconceptualize of MLP and comparative discussing with
development and situation of Thailand electricity that
show economic restored and expanded after Second
World War, the oil crisis in 1973 were affected to
electrical regime included. Energy planning has been
driven by energy demand for industrial and business
sectors. Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
(EGAT) has completed control electrical regime, private
power plants are niche, and will be a major change in
power system but all of them may not be strong enough to
create a new pathway for transition.
Index Terms
: Multi level perspective, Thailand
electricity
I.
I
NTRODUCTION
At present, energy transition and system have been
studied in different ways and lot of attention, long term
processes analysis of technological transition (Geels,
2002; Verbong and Geels, 2007; Nykvist B. and L.W.,
2008), modeling technological diffusion and progress
in the context of energy, economy and environment
policy in developed countries (Jacobsen, 2000; Grubler
et al, 1999; Ohringer, 1998, Carraro and Hourcade,
1998), analytic chronology (Jeffrey M.L. and V.N.-B.,
1999), in order to expose goals such as better
environmental
performance
and
sustainable
development. A varieties of prior transition research
provide understanding overall perspective of socio-
technical change but the research approach challenges
for researcher considered: how to improve a better
understanding of socio-technical change, try to capture
detailed during transition processes and developed in
field of science and technology studies.
This article aims to Firstly, reconceptulate of
Multiple Level Perspective. Secondly, to brief on
development and situation of Thailand electricity.
Thirdly, to compare development and situation of
Thailand electricity with multiple level perspective
conceptual, which understand landscape pressure that
influence on regime, present regime situation and
protection space on niche.
II.
T
HE
M
ULTI
L
EVEL
P
ERSPECTIVE
C
ONCEPTUAL
F
RAMEWORK FOR
T
ECHNOLOGICAL
T
RANSITION
A
NALYSIS
The multi level perspective (MLP) is a conceptual
framework that integrates difference varieties of
approach which pragmatically uses insight from
evolutionary economic, sociological technology,
history of technology and innovation studies, as an
analytical and heuristic tool to trace and understanding
of technology transition as changes from one socio-
technical system to another (Geels, 2005). The MLP
explains technology transitions by interplay of
processes at three levels; technological niche (micro-
level), socio-technical regimes (meso-level) and socio-
technical landscape (macro level), could be understood
as a nested hierarchy (Fig. 1). The starting point to
discuss of MLP is technological regime, a coherent,
highly interrelated and stable structure at the meso-
level characterized by established products and
technologies, stocks of knowledge, user practices,
expectations, norms, regulations and etc (Markard j and
Truffer B., 2008). The different levels are not
ontological descriptions of reality, but analytical and
heuristic concepts to understand the complex dynamics
of socio-technical change. The MLP the stability of
existing socio-technical systems occurs through
interaction between the material aspects of the system,
embedded actors and organizational networks, the rules
and regimes which guide perceptions and actions
(Geels, 2002).
Fig. 1. Multiple levels as nested hierarchy (Geels, 2002:1261).
Socio-technical regime referred to shared cognitive
routines in an engineering community and explained
Application Conceptual of Multi Level
Perspective: Discussion on Development and
Situation of Thailand Electricity
Eakanat karjangthimaporn
Pilot Plant Development Training Institute,
King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi,
(Thailand)
