Determine whether and how energy-system heterogeneity can be regulated to alter transition dynamics

Determine whether and how regulating heterogeneity in European energy systems can change the common relationship between heterogeneity, fluctuations in non-renewable energy use, and the progress of the energy transition.

Background

The analysis finds that countries exhibit a broadly common, parabolic relationship between energy-system heterogeneity and the share of non-renewable energy. It also finds that greater heterogeneity is associated with larger fluctuations in the proportion of non-renewables, potentially creating both opportunities for faster replacement and risks of reversal.

The authors leave unresolved whether this common behaviour can be changed and, specifically, whether regulating heterogeneity could accelerate the energy transition. The question concerns both the feasibility of influencing the observed pattern and the means by which it could be altered.

References

Additionally, the common behaviour of different countries, with few outliers begs the question of whether it is possible and how to change this behaviour. For example, as we find that heterogeneity increases the size of fluctuations in the proportion of non-renewables, it may be possible to accelerate the transition by regulating heterogeneity.

— Energy pathway variety and the progress of the energy transition in European countries  (2609.09607 - Abadi et al., 9 Sep 2026) in Conclusions, final paragraph