Governing the Energy Commons. Addressing Grid Congestion Using Ostrom’s Design Principles in Energy Hubs
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2025-06-20
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en
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The Dutch electricity grid is under increasing pressure due to the rapid pace of the energy transition and the unpreparedness of grid infrastructure. In response, affected parties are organizing themselves in collectives to address grid congestion. These ‘energy hubs’ collectively govern energy generation, consumption, distribution and storage, in cooperation and coordination with local and supralocal actors such as system operators.
Building on prior research by the Elinor Ostrom Workshop of governing common pool resources and polycentric governance theory, this thesis explores how Dutch energy hubs manage aspects of a decentralizing electricity grid.
This thesis adopts a multiple case study design. Data is collected through semi-structured interviews and is triangulated with document analysis and spatial analysis.
Main findings include:
I. Empirical practices in the studied cases generally align with Ostrom’s design principles. Social capital or ‘naoberschap’ formed through the initiation process of the energy hub, can replace formal mechanisms.
II. Autonomy within polycentric governance appears crucial for the establishment of energy hubs. However, energy hubs can impose an insider-outsider distinction.
III. The current quantity and magnitude of energy hubs is not sufficient yet to reduce grid stress beyond the energy hub. This requires a dense and meshed network of local flexibility.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen