Will McDowall
Biographic Data
| ID | 5775403 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Will McDowall |
| GIVEN NAMES | Will |
| FAMILY NAME | McDowall |
| SIGNATURE | MCDOWALL W |
| AFFILIATIONS | Energy Institute |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-4238-0692 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 16 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 57 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 16 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2006 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Advertising restrictions and sustainability transitions: Does banning advertising of harmful products induce innovation in benign alternatives
Bans on advertising are increasingly promoted by environmental activists. • First study on the impact of advertising bans on product innovation. • We use a case study of the Norwegian low/no-alcohol beer market. • Advert bans can incentivise innovation in socially desirable alternative products. • Advert bans can both destabilise regimes and foster niches if designed well. Environmental activists increasingly seek to ban advertising of polluting …
Exploring cultures of evidence in energy policymaking in the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands
This paper explores different “cultures of evidence” in energy policymaking in the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands. The urgent energy system transformation needed to respond to the climate crisis depends on policies informed by technical and engineering expertise, and particularly energy modeling. Such expertise had traditionally been poorly represented in the energy ministries of the Dutch, German, and UK governments. There is limited understan…
The political economy of actively phasing out harmful industries: Lessons from resource-based sectors beyond fossil fuels
The growing urgency of reducing fossil fuel consumption has spurred interest in the political economy dimensions of policies that aim to phase out existing industries. Much of this growing literature has focused on previous energy transitions and phase-outs. In this perspective article, I highlight the value of looking at cases beyond energy and fossil fuels to understand the dynamics of industry phase-out. To illustrate the point, I provide thre…
Paving the pathways towards sustainable future? A critical assessment of STI policy roadmaps as policy instruments for sustainability transitions
Roadmaps and roadmapping techniques receive increasing attention in the Science, Technology and Innovation policy community, notably for the development of strategies and policies to address societal challenges and ambitious goals such as the SDGs. STI policy roadmaps are used to evoke future visions, align actor expectations and formulate, document, plan and implement public policies for long-term, ambitious sustainability goals. As a sophistica…
Exploring the possibility space: Taking stock of the diverse capabilities and gaps in integrated assessment models
Integrated assessment models (IAMs) have emerged as key tools for building and assessing long term climate mitigation scenarios. Due to their central role in the recent IPCC assessments, and international climate policy analyses more generally, and the high uncertainties related to future projections, IAMs have been critically assessed by scholars from different fields receiving various critiques ranging from adequacy of their methods to how thei…
R&D tax credits can be a significant source of taxpayer support for fossil fuel innovation
The urgent need to accelerate the transition towards low-carbon energy is well understood. Government support for energy innovation has been an increasing focus of both policy and academic attention in recent years. The debate has focused on direct spending by governments on research and development (R&D). However, governments also support R&D indirectly, through tax credits. This source of government support has been overlooked in the academic a…
Assessing qualitative and quantitative dimensions of uncertainty in energy modelling for policy support in the United Kingdom
Circular Economy Policies in China and Europe
The idea of a circular economy (CE) has become prominent in both European and Chinese policy making. Chinese and European perspectives on a CE share a common conceptual basis and exhibit many similar concerns in seeking to enhance resource efficiency. Yet they also differ, and this article explores differences in the focus of CE policy in China and Europe. We present evidence on the differing understandings of the CE concept in Chinese and Europe…
Ten challenges for computer models in transitions research: Commentary on Holtz et al
On order and complexity in innovations systems: Conceptual frameworks for policy mixes in sustainability transitions
Disruptive innovation and energy transitions: Is Christensen’s theory helpful
Are scenarios of hydrogen vehicle adoption optimistic? A comparison with historical analogies
There is a large literature exploring possible hydrogen futures, using various modelling and scenario approaches. This paper compares the rates of transition depicted in that literature with a set of historical analogies. These analogies are cases in which alternative-fuelled vehicles have penetrated vehicle markets. The paper suggests that the literature has tended to be optimistic about the possible rate at which hydrogen vehicles might replace…
The foundations of the environmental rebound effect and its contribution towards a general framework
Energy model, boundary object and societal lens: 35 Years of the Markal model in the UK
Exploring possible transition pathways for hydrogen energy: A hybrid approach using socio-technical scenarios and energy system modelling
Hydrogen remains an important option for long-term decarbonisation of energy and transport systems. However, studying the possible transition paths and development prospects for a hydrogen energy system is challenging. The long-term nature of technological transitions inevitably means profound uncertainties, diverging perspectives and contested priorities. Both modelling approaches and narrative storyline scenarios are widely used to explore the …
Negotiating contested visions and place-specific expectations of the hydrogen economy
This paper explores the role of the ‘hydrogen economy’ as a guiding vision encompassing multiple contested technological futures, value judgements and problem framings. Hydrogen visions draw upon six overarching and competing narrative themes: power and independence; community empowerment and democratisation; ecotopia; hydrogen as technical fix; inevitability and technical progress; and ‘staying in the race’. In other words the hydrogen economy p…
Exploring possible transition pathways for hydrogen energy: A hybrid approach using socio-technical scenarios and energy system modelling
Hydrogen remains an important option for long-term decarbonisation of energy and transport systems. However, studying the possible transition paths and development prospects for a hydrogen energy system is challenging. The long-term nature of technological transitions inevitably means profound uncertainties, diverging perspectives and contested priorities. Both modelling approaches and narrative storyline scenarios are widely used to explore the …
On order and complexity in innovations systems: Conceptual frameworks for policy mixes in sustainability transitions
Assessing qualitative and quantitative dimensions of uncertainty in energy modelling for policy support in the United Kingdom
Energy model, boundary object and societal lens: 35 Years of the Markal model in the UK
Paving the pathways towards sustainable future? A critical assessment of STI policy roadmaps as policy instruments for sustainability transitions
Roadmaps and roadmapping techniques receive increasing attention in the Science, Technology and Innovation policy community, notably for the development of strategies and policies to address societal challenges and ambitious goals such as the SDGs. STI policy roadmaps are used to evoke future visions, align actor expectations and formulate, document, plan and implement public policies for long-term, ambitious sustainability goals. As a sophistica…
Disruptive innovation and energy transitions: Is Christensen’s theory helpful
The political economy of actively phasing out harmful industries: Lessons from resource-based sectors beyond fossil fuels
The growing urgency of reducing fossil fuel consumption has spurred interest in the political economy dimensions of policies that aim to phase out existing industries. Much of this growing literature has focused on previous energy transitions and phase-outs. In this perspective article, I highlight the value of looking at cases beyond energy and fossil fuels to understand the dynamics of industry phase-out. To illustrate the point, I provide thre…
Negotiating contested visions and place-specific expectations of the hydrogen economy
This paper explores the role of the ‘hydrogen economy’ as a guiding vision encompassing multiple contested technological futures, value judgements and problem framings. Hydrogen visions draw upon six overarching and competing narrative themes: power and independence; community empowerment and democratisation; ecotopia; hydrogen as technical fix; inevitability and technical progress; and ‘staying in the race’. In other words the hydrogen economy p…
Energy model, boundary object and societal lens: 35 Years of the Markal model in the UK
Exploring possible transition pathways for hydrogen energy: A hybrid approach using socio-technical scenarios and energy system modelling
Hydrogen remains an important option for long-term decarbonisation of energy and transport systems. However, studying the possible transition paths and development prospects for a hydrogen energy system is challenging. The long-term nature of technological transitions inevitably means profound uncertainties, diverging perspectives and contested priorities. Both modelling approaches and narrative storyline scenarios are widely used to explore the …
Are scenarios of hydrogen vehicle adoption optimistic? A comparison with historical analogies
There is a large literature exploring possible hydrogen futures, using various modelling and scenario approaches. This paper compares the rates of transition depicted in that literature with a set of historical analogies. These analogies are cases in which alternative-fuelled vehicles have penetrated vehicle markets. The paper suggests that the literature has tended to be optimistic about the possible rate at which hydrogen vehicles might replace…
The foundations of the environmental rebound effect and its contribution towards a general framework
Circular Economy Policies in China and Europe
The idea of a circular economy (CE) has become prominent in both European and Chinese policy making. Chinese and European perspectives on a CE share a common conceptual basis and exhibit many similar concerns in seeking to enhance resource efficiency. Yet they also differ, and this article explores differences in the focus of CE policy in China and Europe. We present evidence on the differing understandings of the CE concept in Chinese and Europe…
Ten challenges for computer models in transitions research: Commentary on Holtz et al
On order and complexity in innovations systems: Conceptual frameworks for policy mixes in sustainability transitions
Disruptive innovation and energy transitions: Is Christensen’s theory helpful
Assessing qualitative and quantitative dimensions of uncertainty in energy modelling for policy support in the United Kingdom
Exploring the possibility space: Taking stock of the diverse capabilities and gaps in integrated assessment models
Integrated assessment models (IAMs) have emerged as key tools for building and assessing long term climate mitigation scenarios. Due to their central role in the recent IPCC assessments, and international climate policy analyses more generally, and the high uncertainties related to future projections, IAMs have been critically assessed by scholars from different fields receiving various critiques ranging from adequacy of their methods to how thei…
R&D tax credits can be a significant source of taxpayer support for fossil fuel innovation
The urgent need to accelerate the transition towards low-carbon energy is well understood. Government support for energy innovation has been an increasing focus of both policy and academic attention in recent years. The debate has focused on direct spending by governments on research and development (R&D). However, governments also support R&D indirectly, through tax credits. This source of government support has been overlooked in the academic a…
The political economy of actively phasing out harmful industries: Lessons from resource-based sectors beyond fossil fuels
The growing urgency of reducing fossil fuel consumption has spurred interest in the political economy dimensions of policies that aim to phase out existing industries. Much of this growing literature has focused on previous energy transitions and phase-outs. In this perspective article, I highlight the value of looking at cases beyond energy and fossil fuels to understand the dynamics of industry phase-out. To illustrate the point, I provide thre…
Paving the pathways towards sustainable future? A critical assessment of STI policy roadmaps as policy instruments for sustainability transitions
Roadmaps and roadmapping techniques receive increasing attention in the Science, Technology and Innovation policy community, notably for the development of strategies and policies to address societal challenges and ambitious goals such as the SDGs. STI policy roadmaps are used to evoke future visions, align actor expectations and formulate, document, plan and implement public policies for long-term, ambitious sustainability goals. As a sophistica…
Exploring cultures of evidence in energy policymaking in the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands
This paper explores different “cultures of evidence” in energy policymaking in the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands. The urgent energy system transformation needed to respond to the climate crisis depends on policies informed by technical and engineering expertise, and particularly energy modeling. Such expertise had traditionally been poorly represented in the energy ministries of the Dutch, German, and UK governments. There is limited understan…
Advertising restrictions and sustainability transitions: Does banning advertising of harmful products induce innovation in benign alternatives
Bans on advertising are increasingly promoted by environmental activists. • First study on the impact of advertising bans on product innovation. • We use a case study of the Norwegian low/no-alcohol beer market. • Advert bans can incentivise innovation in socially desirable alternative products. • Advert bans can both destabilise regimes and foster niches if designed well. Environmental activists increasingly seek to ban advertising of polluting …
Economics (15 works) · Sustainability and Climate Change Governance (9 works) · Business (8 works) · Computer Science (8 works) · Political science (8 works) · Engineering (7 works) · Sociology (7 works) · Management science (6 works) · Environmental Impact and Sustainability (5 works) · Global Energy and Sustainability Research (5 works)