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Publications (10 of 289) Show all publications
Söderholm, P. & Söderholm, K. (2024). Voluntary agreements and systemic lock-in in the circular economy: The certification of sewage sludge in Sweden. In: Luxon Nhamo; Sylvester Mpandeli; Stanley Liphadzi; Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi (Ed.), Circular and Transformative Economy: Advances towards Sustainable Socio-economic Transformation (pp. 9-28). Taylor & Francis
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Voluntary agreements and systemic lock-in in the circular economy: The certification of sewage sludge in Sweden
2024 (English)In: Circular and Transformative Economy: Advances towards Sustainable Socio-economic Transformation / [ed] Luxon Nhamo; Sylvester Mpandeli; Stanley Liphadzi; Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi, Taylor & Francis, 2024, p. 9-28Chapter in book (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

This chapter departs from the dual objective of reusing waste while at the same time mitigating pollution; it focuses on the opportunities and challenges of managing this trade-off through voluntary agreements between various actors. The chapter aims to investigate and discuss the emergence, outcomes, and future challenges of the Swedish voluntary certification scheme REVAQ. This scheme includes efforts among wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to build trust for the application of sewage sludge on agricultural land and thus reuse the nutrients contained in it, not least by reducing the presence of metals and organic substances. Our findings suggest that the establishment of REVAQ was, in many ways, a natural response of the incumbent actors to an uncertain regulatory situation. The preventive environmental work pursued because of the certification scheme has been successful, thus resulting in decreased flows of hazardous substances to soil. However, REVAQ faces challenges, largely due to previously unattended trace elements, e.g., microplastics and pharmaceutical residues. These will make it difficult for actors to convince the key stakeholders about the future quality of the sewage sludge. There is also currently a prioritization of system optimization over system change, i.e., a bias towards incremental improvements in the existing system instead of seeking to innovate beyond this system. REVAQ likely contributes to this path dependence and technological lock-in.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Taylor & Francis, 2024
National Category
Environmental Sciences
Research subject
Economics; History
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-104074 (URN)10.1201/9781003327615-2 (DOI)2-s2.0-85185203043 (Scopus ID)
Funder
Swedish Research Council Formas, 2018‑00194
Note

License full text: CC BY-NC;

ISBN for host publication: 9781003327615

Available from: 2024-02-02 Created: 2024-02-02 Last updated: 2024-03-07Bibliographically approved
Grafström, J., Söderholm, P., Gawel, E., Lehmann, P. & Strunz, S. (2023). Government support to renewable energy R&D: drivers and strategic interactions among EU Member States. Economics of Innovation and New Technology, 32(1), 1-24
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Government support to renewable energy R&D: drivers and strategic interactions among EU Member States
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2023 (English)In: Economics of Innovation and New Technology, ISSN 1043-8599, E-ISSN 1476-8364, Vol. 32, no 1, p. 1-24Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Although the climate challenge requires proactive policies that spur innovation in the renewable energy sector, various countries commit vastly different levels of support for renewable energy R&D. This paper addresses the question why this may be the case. Specifically, the objective is to analyse the determinants of government support to renewable energy R&D in the European Union (EU), and, in doing this, we devote particular attention to the question of whether the level of this support tends to converge or diverge across EU Member States. The investigation relies on a data set of 12 EU Member States and a bias-corrected dynamic panel data estimator. We test for the presence of conditional β-convergence, and the impacts of energy dependence and electricity regulation on government R&D efforts. The findings display divergence in terms of government support to renewable energy R&D, and this result is robust across various model specifications and key assumptions. The analysis also indicates that countries with a low energy-import dependence and deregulated electricity markets tend to experience lower growth rates in government renewable energy R&D. The paper ends by discussing some implications of the results, primarily from an EU perspective.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Taylor & Francis, 2023
Keywords
Renewable energy, government R&D, convergence, divergence, European Union
National Category
Economics
Research subject
Economics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-82179 (URN)10.1080/10438599.2020.1857499 (DOI)000601338900001 ()2-s2.0-85097995898 (Scopus ID)
Funder
Swedish Research Council Formas, 254-2013-100
Note

Validerad;2023;Nivå 2;2023-04-20 (joosat);

Finansiär: Helmholtz Association (HA-303)

Licens fulltext: CC BY-NC-ND License

Available from: 2021-01-07 Created: 2021-01-07 Last updated: 2023-04-20Bibliographically approved
Mousavi, S., Hellsmark, H. & Söderholm, P. (2023). How can pilot and demonstration plants drive market formation? Lessons from advanced biofuel development in Europe. Technological forecasting & social change, 194, Article ID 122703.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>How can pilot and demonstration plants drive market formation? Lessons from advanced biofuel development in Europe
2023 (English)In: Technological forecasting & social change, ISSN 0040-1625, E-ISSN 1873-5509, Vol. 194, article id 122703Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

This paper analyzes through what enabling mechanisms pilot and demonstration plants (PDPs) reduce supply and demand uncertainties, and thereby contributing to the market formation for novel sustainable technologies. The analysis builds on three case studies within the advanced biofuel development in Europe. For each case, we construct a narrative of the technology development and derive detailed insights into how technology actors use PDPs to drive market formation. We develop a comprehensive analytical framework, which highlights how PDPs contribute to supply uncertainty reduction through three main enabling mechanisms: building credibility for the technology, business ecosystem orchestration, and technology learning. The corresponding enabling mechanisms behind demand uncertainty reduction include technology standardization, constructing the narrative, and the creation of legitimacy for the technology. The paper also unfolds the composite activities of each mechanism, and outlines implications for technology developers, policymakers, as well as for the research community.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier, 2023
Keywords
Sustainability transitions, Market uncertainty, E ntrepreneurial experimentation, Commercialization, Sustainable technology, Advanced biorefinery development
National Category
Business Administration Social Sciences Interdisciplinary
Research subject
Economics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-99266 (URN)10.1016/j.techfore.2023.122703 (DOI)001028985200001 ()2-s2.0-85166733977 (Scopus ID)
Funder
Swedish Research Council Formas, 254-2013-100Swedish Energy Agency, 48609-1
Note

Validerad;2023;Nivå 2;2023-08-07 (joosat);

Licens fulltext: CC BY License

Available from: 2023-08-07 Created: 2023-08-07 Last updated: 2023-10-11Bibliographically approved
Söderholm, P. (2023). How environmental permitting uncertainty in large-scale mining could influence subcontractors: The underlying chicken-and-egg problem. Resources policy, 82, Article ID 103585.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>How environmental permitting uncertainty in large-scale mining could influence subcontractors: The underlying chicken-and-egg problem
2023 (English)In: Resources policy, ISSN 0301-4207, E-ISSN 1873-7641, Vol. 82, article id 103585Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

This paper addresses the link between the environmental permitting of mining operations and economic development in mineral-rich regions. The purpose is to investigate how uncertainty about the permitting outcomes facing a mining company could affect its subcontractors. A key conceptual point of departure is that this influence can be related to both withheld investments and a lower demand for key inputs, including labor, but also to a reduced overall attractiveness of the community, in turn making it difficult to recruit skilled labor. These issues are illustrated in the empirical context of a Swedish iron ore producer, which for over two years faced the risk of having its existing environmental permit revoked. The results suggest that in this specific case, the main challenge for the affected subcontractors was increased difficulties in recruiting skilled personnel. At a general level, the findings indicate the need to devote increased research attention to the link between government regulation on the one hand, and business growth and regional development on the other, including reputational effects. The paper also discusses the implications for the reform of existing environmental permitting process, nevertheless arguing against the incorporation of additional dimensions of sustainability in this process.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier, 2023
Keywords
Environmental permitting, Local employment, Mining operations, Regional development, Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Subcontractors
National Category
Economics
Research subject
Economics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-97019 (URN)10.1016/j.resourpol.2023.103585 (DOI)000984224000001 ()2-s2.0-85152595510 (Scopus ID)
Funder
Swedish Energy Agency, 2021-037457The Kamprad Family Foundation
Note

Validerad;2023;Nivå 2;2023-05-05 (hanlid)

Available from: 2023-05-05 Created: 2023-05-05 Last updated: 2024-03-07Bibliographically approved
Andersson, S., Söderholm, P. & Stage, J. (2023). Norrbotten 2040 – Fyra explorativa scenarier för länet i ljuset av den gröna industriomvandlingen. Region Norrbotten
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Norrbotten 2040 – Fyra explorativa scenarier för länet i ljuset av den gröna industriomvandlingen
2023 (Swedish)Report (Other (popular science, discussion, etc.))
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Region Norrbotten, 2023. p. 54
Series
Rapport inom Regional Förnyelse
National Category
Economics
Research subject
Economics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-101407 (URN)
Available from: 2023-09-21 Created: 2023-09-21 Last updated: 2023-10-10Bibliographically approved
Hedeler, B., Hellsmark, H. & Söderholm, P. (2023). Policy mixes and policy feedback: Implications for green industrial growth in the Swedish biofuels industry. Renewable & sustainable energy reviews, 173, Article ID 113098.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Policy mixes and policy feedback: Implications for green industrial growth in the Swedish biofuels industry
2023 (English)In: Renewable & sustainable energy reviews, ISSN 1364-0321, E-ISSN 1879-0690, Vol. 173, article id 113098Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

In recent years, innovation systems scholars have advanced the understanding of the evolution of industries around renewable energy technologies as well as the role of policy feedback (and indeed politics) surrounding the development of domestic green industrial development policies. To take a step towards combining these literature streams, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of policy mixes and policy feedback in the emergence of domestic green industries. This is achieved in the empirical case of biofuels in Sweden, and the findings show that policy feedback dynamics created difficulties in aligning the national policy mix with the technology and industrial developments in the country. The resulting political uncertainty predominantly hampered the scaling up of domestic production capacity, while R&D and import of biofuels instead could grow strong. Based on this empirical case, a process model is developed to explain the role of policy feedback in the development of domestic industries, thus demonstrating how the growth of domestic industries is driven by the interplay of policy effects and various feedback processes. The findings suggest that future research into the role of policies in “green” domestic industry growth should devote more attention to the dynamics driving the co-evolution of policy, technology and industry structures.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier, 2023
Keywords
Biofuels, Domestic industry growth, Industrial policy, Innovation system, Policy feedback, Policy mix
National Category
Economics
Research subject
Economics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-95005 (URN)10.1016/j.rser.2022.113098 (DOI)000901593100004 ()2-s2.0-85143733414 (Scopus ID)
Funder
Swedish Energy Agency, 48609-1
Note

Validerad;2023;Nivå 2;2023-02-17 (hanlid)

Available from: 2022-12-27 Created: 2022-12-27 Last updated: 2023-02-17Bibliographically approved
Ericsson, M., Söderholm, P. & Wårell, L. (2023). Professor Marian Radetzki (1936-2022) in memoriam. Mineral Economics, 36(1), 187-188
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Professor Marian Radetzki (1936-2022) in memoriam
2023 (English)In: Mineral Economics, ISSN 2191-2203, E-ISSN 2191-2211, Vol. 36, no 1, p. 187-188Article in journal, Editorial material (Other (popular science, discussion, etc.)) Published
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Springer Nature, 2023
National Category
Economics
Research subject
Economics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-93577 (URN)10.1007/s13563-022-00347-x (DOI)000859587200003 ()
Note

Godkänd;2023;Nivå 0;2023-04-20 (hanlid);

Available from: 2022-10-13 Created: 2022-10-13 Last updated: 2023-04-20Bibliographically approved
Andersson, S., Stage, J., Lundmark, R. & Söderholm, P. (2023). Regionalekonomiska modeller för analys och planering: En kartläggning av modeller som relaterar till Raps. Tillväxtverket
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Regionalekonomiska modeller för analys och planering: En kartläggning av modeller som relaterar till Raps
2023 (Swedish)Report (Other academic)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Tillväxtverket, 2023. p. 62
Series
Tillväxtverkets rapportserie ; 0452
National Category
Economics
Research subject
Economics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-101408 (URN)978-91-89730-40-3 (ISBN)
Funder
Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth
Available from: 2023-09-21 Created: 2023-09-21 Last updated: 2023-10-10Bibliographically approved
Bryngemark, E., Söderholm, P. & Thörn, M. (2023). The adoption of green public procurement practices: Analytical challenges and empirical illustration on Swedish municipalities. Ecological Economics, 204, Article ID 107655.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>The adoption of green public procurement practices: Analytical challenges and empirical illustration on Swedish municipalities
2023 (English)In: Ecological Economics, ISSN 0921-8009, E-ISSN 1873-6106, Vol. 204, article id 107655Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

The objective of this paper is to investigate the determinants of the adoption of green public procurement (GPP) practices at the local authority level. A conceptual contribution of the paper is an analytical framework, which acknowledges that the adoption of green criteria in tenders should be modelled as a conditionally independent decision from the decision to rely on GPP strategies (guidelines). This approach can help provide novel insights into how various political, organizational, and individual characteristics influence GPP. The paper provides an empirical illustration by concentrating on the role of organizational size. This analysis is based on survey responses from civil servants representing 140 Swedish municipalities. The results are based on the bivariate ordered probit estimator and suggest that large municipalities are more likely to rely on GPP strategies but also less prone to adopt green criteria in tenders when controlling for the presence of such strategies. In large organizations, the centralization of the procurement implies efficiency gains, but it will often be accompanied with longer organizational distances between the procuring and the environmental departments. The paper also highlights the wider implications of the proposed framework, including how future research on GPP practices could approach the role of various political and individual factors.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier, 2023
Keywords
Public procurement, Analytical framework, Sustainable transport, Green tenders, Local government, Organizational size, Sweden
National Category
Economics
Research subject
Economics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-93771 (URN)10.1016/j.ecolecon.2022.107655 (DOI)000891305300015 ()2-s2.0-85140806606 (Scopus ID)
Funder
Swedish Energy AgencySwedish Research Council Formas
Note

Validerad;2022;Nivå 2;2022-11-07 (hanlid)

Available from: 2022-10-31 Created: 2022-10-31 Last updated: 2023-05-08Bibliographically approved
Andersson, S., Söderholm, P. & Berglund, C. (2023). The mixed blessing of responsibility relief: An application to household recycling and curbside waste collection. Frontiers in Environmental Economics, 1, Article ID 1081926.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>The mixed blessing of responsibility relief: An application to household recycling and curbside waste collection
2023 (English)In: Frontiers in Environmental Economics, E-ISSN 2813-2823, Vol. 1, article id 1081926Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

This paper addresses the role of personal norms and warm glow in influencing households' waste recycling preferences. The purpose is to explore inter-household differences in the preferences toward the introduction of curbside recycling, which implies that households are relieved from the responsibility of transporting sorted waste to assigned drop-off stations. The main theoretical point of departure for the analysis is an existing model that integrates norm-motivated behavior into neoclassical utility theory. This builds on the assumption that the household members have preferences for upholding a self-image as responsible—norm-compliant—persons, and it also contains a warm-glow component. The empirical investigation relies on a postal survey to households in a Swedish municipality, and this asks households about their willingness-to-pay (WTP) for the introduction of a curbside recycling scheme, as well as about time use and the presence of personal norms and warm glow motives. The results are based on a Heckman selection specification and show that individuals expressing a strong personal norm for recycling are more likely to be willing to pay for curbside recycling, while those with strong warm glow motives are less likely to do so. This suggests the existence of a mixed blessing of responsibility relief. Curbside recycling implies that households are relieved from a moral responsibility that takes time away from leisure activities, but they also experience a loss in warm glow as such a scheme removes the possibility to pursue something that they have learned to appreciate. There could then exist ‘motivational inertia' making it difficult for policy makers to activate personal norms for new pro-environmental household activities in replacement of existing ones.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Frontiers Media S.A., 2023
Keywords
household recycling, moral motivation, warm glow, opportunity cost of time, curbside recycling, waste collection, Sweden
National Category
Economics
Research subject
Economics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-95332 (URN)10.3389/frevc.2022.1081926 (DOI)
Funder
Swedish Research Council FormasSwedish Energy Agency
Note

Godkänd;2023;Nivå 0;2023-01-19 (joosat);

Licens fulltext: CC BY License

This article is part of the Research Topic Insights in Ecological Economics: 2022

Available from: 2023-01-19 Created: 2023-01-19 Last updated: 2023-04-25Bibliographically approved
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ORCID iD: ORCID iD iconorcid.org/0000-0003-2264-7043

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