(Re)framing technology: The evolution from biogas to biomethane in Austria
M. Kriechbaum, Niklas Terler, Bernhard Stürmer, Tobias Stern
Abstract
Socio-technical niches are often presented as key drivers for transitioning established production and consumption systems to more sustainable configurations. In previous research, the important roles of collectively shared expectations in shaping the development and nurturing of such niches has been emphasised. At the same time, this research has shown that niches are often associated with fluctuating expectations, typically showing patterns of hype and disappointment. In this study, we analyse how such hype and disappointment patterns interact with framing dynamics by combining the concept of technological frames with the sociology of expectations and the multi-level perspective. By using the shift in understanding that has occurred from a ‘biogas’ to a ‘biomethane’ frame in the Austrian anaerobic digestion (AD) niche as an example, we shed light on niche-internal framing struggles, illustrate the normative character of technological frames, and relate the emergence of dominant frames to hype cycle and transition dynamics.