In the field of Institutional Analysis (IA), institutions describe the emergent rules that govern human behaviour and interaction. There are two key types: formal rules such as laws and policies, and informal rules such as norms and shared strategies. Evaluating the effectiveness of existing policies and developing new policies often requires a thorough understanding of informal rules. Traditional methods for identifying informal rules are predominantly qualitative, labour-intensive, and prone to bias, typically limited by small sample sizes. This thesis addresses the gap in standardised, quantitative approaches by developing a novel method to extract informal rules and social structures from survey data: Survey Informal Rule Extraction (SIRE).

The SIRE method involves preprocessing survey data, training decision trees to classify behaviours, extracting Institutional Grammar (IG) components, and generating structured Attribute, Deontic, Aim, Condition, Or else (ADICO) statements. The design process involves an iterative approach with three key steps: 1) exploring and comparing existing survey data from an institutional grammar lens, 2) evaluating different types of questions and identifying relationships in the data, and 3) testing various methods to analyse response data and convert questions into ADICO statements. These steps led to a systematic approach to understanding how informal rules shape human behaviour, supporting evidence-based policy design.

The effectiveness of SIRE is validated through three applications to datasets from the European Social Survey (ESS) and SCALAR. The first validation compares SIRE results with literature findings on household climate change adaptation, showing logical and comparable outcomes. The second validation demonstrates the method's utility in policy analysis, examining factors influencing the adoption of structural flood protection measures. The third validation showcased the method's potential as a strategic analytics tool for political parties, identifying conditions that increase the likelihood of voting for specific parties. The results demonstrate that the SIRE method has the potential to provide a clear representation of institutional rules, offering valuable insights for institutional and policy analysts.

While this thesis presents a novel method for extracting informal rules from survey data, limitations include potential generalizability issues due to the focused validation on specific datasets (SCALAR and ESS), AI-related inconsistencies in text processing, and methodological constraints such as the current inability to directly address open-ended questions or identify deontic components. Future work should focus on further validation across diverse contexts, integration with other analytical frameworks, and method automation. Improvements in data encoding, condition scope, and rule extraction could enhance the SIRE method's utility in policy development and behavioural analysis, addressing current limitations and expanding its applicability.

As climate change impacts rapidly escalate, ensuring the just adaptation of vulnerable communities has become a critical challenge. However, procedural justice—a key pillar of climate justice that focuses on the fairness of policies from a systemic standpoint—remains underexplored. Policy practitioners currently lack the tools to assess whether a policy can meaningfully engage affected groups. This research presents a novel approach to evaluating the procedural justice of climate change adaptation policies ex-ante, before their implementation.

While the impact of institutional structures on the adaptive capacity of systems is well-established, the direct relationship between these structures and the procedural justice of adaptive interventions has not been systematically studied. This research addresses this gap by applying the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework and incorporating Institutional Network Analysis to assess the procedural justice of climate adaptation interventions.

The research also demonstrates how Large Language Models support the automation of policy analysis tasks, and may be used to significantly improve the scale and timeliness of policy analysis research.

In this research we identify 4 values critical to procedurally just climate change adaptation policy institutions – namely Voice, Transparency, Accountability and Correctability. We operationalise these values in terms of institutional networks, and develop an empirical method for their identification. The work features a tool to automate extraction of policy statements from documents and features an annotation accuracy of 0.67.

Using this methodology, an empirical case of climate change policy ­— the expansion of Water and Wastewater Systems in Chennai — is investigated. The analysis shows that the institutional environment is severely lacking in procedural justice elements and that policy statements relevant to procedurally justice lack specificity.

Hydrogen is becoming increasingly integral to global energy transition strategies, especially in sectors difficult to electrify. In the Netherlands, industrial clusters are expected to be key centers for sustainable hydrogen supply and demand. However, smaller industries outside the main clusters (Cluster 6) face significant challenges due to their distance from major demand points and the complexities of integrating hydrogen into their operations. They struggle with the high initial investment costs for on-site hydrogen generation, limited access to decarbonization subsidies, and the technical challenges posed by a congested electricity grid. The lower priority given to these regions in the hydrogen roll-out plan exacerbates the uncertainty and hesitancy among Cluster 6 industries, threatening the efficient development of regional hydrogen infrastructure and creating a risk of underutilization. The research employs a modeling approach and agent-based simulation to analyze the potential for collective action to overcome technical, economic, and institutional limitations, facilitating hydrogen production and consumption among smaller, dispersed industries. This approach allows for comparative analysis of emergent system behavior under different organizing principles, agent interactions, and government policy interventions. The simulation results highlight that collective investment is key to successful hydrogen transitions, with unified strategies leading to quicker and more effective outcomes. When driven by individual efforts instead of collective action, transitions tend to face delays and result with less sector inclusion. In regions with more hydrogen-dependent companies, contribution of collective action grows exponentially, with primary off-takers initiating the shift. However, relaxing subsidy criteria in such regional settings can weaken regional cooperation and slow progress. Therefore, designing region-specific policies that promote collaboration and encouraging communication and inclusiveness among companies can help achieve a smoother and more unified regional shift to hydrogen. Future research should address the limitations of the current study by incorporating more detailed cost-benefit analyses, exploring alternative hydrogen supply and transportation methods, and considering a broader range of factors influencing industrial decisions on hydrogen adoption.

: There has been a growing number of companies that join, commit and set targets to the Science-Based Targets initiative in recent years. This thesis explores how factors which were found in previous studies to influence the companies’ decision to join SBTi or climate action in general, interact dynamically. Using an agent-based model, the companies’ interactions, the SBTi strategies and external factors will be examined in the temporal dimension in order to shed light on what is the projected uptake of SBTi.

In my thesis I was studying the interrelation between network topology and dynamics and the emergence and evolution of institutions for the governance of CPR. This research was intended to shed some light on what is the role of networks in formation of endogenous institutions and the possible insights for policy makers and users of CPR. To answer my research question, I utilized the agent-based institutional model and enhanced it by adding three dimensions of social networks and connecting them through various mechanisms to other parts of the model trying to capture the complexity of SESs. Therefore, through the combination of ABM and approaches from SNA I conducted a series of simulations that were imitating co-evolution of endogenous institutions and network topology. Through variation of input and output parameters the patterns were derived from the model and thoroughly analyzed. Notably, they suggest a positive relationship between the degree of network fragmentation and the stability of institutional structures within these communities. This implies that more fragmented social networks tend to exhibit greater stability in their institutional arrangements. Furthermore, the research reveals the presence of negative feedback mechanisms influencing network-dependent rewiring probabilities and positive feedback mechanisms governing homophily-based rewiring probabilities. These findings underscore the complexity of CPR governance, where network structures, institutional dynamics, and personal strategies interact in intricate ways. The results of this analysis were utilized to provide policy recommendations for regulation of CPRs. Mainly these recommendations evolve around: (i) identification and connection of fragments within social networks; (ii) analysis of the details of agents resource consumption, (iiI) identification of potential strategy options and (iv) enhancement of the processes that drive creation of gear- (or other attribute-) based connections. Overall, the research has the potential to inform the development of more effective and sustainable approaches to the governance of CPRs.

Situation
The constant increase in global temperatures is becoming more and more concerning for the future of our planet. The health of the planet is crucial for our existence and for the health of humanity, which is why we need to maintain and care for our environment. The pharmaceutical sector contributes to a lot of greenhouse gas emissions, and the total amount of emissions even exceeds that of the automotive industry. Pharmaceutical companies’ main goal is to improve human health, and therefore, contributing to a healthy environment is also crucial. Pharmaceutical companies have set ambitious climate goals that will need a lot of attention if they are to be fulfilled. More and more collective action initiatives are taking form, such as Energize and projects like Together for Sustainability (TfS). While a lot of progress is being made, collective efforts need to improve, and climate challenges need to be tackled collectively. Johnson & Johnson, as one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, has committed to the SBTi targets and set ambitious goals for itself. They put a lot of emphasis on sustainability and aim to reach their targets across all its 250 subsidiary companies that are spread out over 60 countries.

Problem identification
As the climate impact of the pharmaceutical sector seems to be significantly large, it is important to understand how the climate targets of this sector can be fulfilled. Johnson & Johnson aims to source 100% of their electricity needs from renewable sources by 2025, achieve carbon neutrality for their operations, going beyond their Science-Based Target to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions 60% from 2016 levels, and reduce absolute upstream value chain (Scope 3) emissions 20% from 2016 levels by 2030. They are currently on pace to meet their scope 1 and 2 targets. The scope 3 emissions, however, remain significantly larger than the scope 1 and 2 emissions combined. Scope 3 emissions come from other parties that a company works with, which makes influencing them more difficult. Collaboration is needed to stimulate companies across the value chain to contribute to sustainability. Collaboration could be in the form of various projects where companies engage in collective action to achieve certain common goals. Collective action means that multiple parties are engaged in a project that works towards a certain shared goal.
This research aims to explore the current challenges of the pharmaceutical sector with reaching emission targets and how collective action concepts impact the willingness of supplier companies to engage in collective initiatives that focus on reducing emissions. For this study, Johnson & Johnson will be analyzed to get a good understanding of the current state of the pharmaceutical sector...

The Paris Agreement seeks to limit global temperature rise and achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The UN's Sustainable Development Goal 7 emphasizes sustainable energy access, with smart grids playing a crucial role. These grids adapt to user behavior and interconnect various components. While smart grids address challenges in integrating renewable energy, their complex socio-technical nature demands a multidisciplinary approach. Institutions are vital in smart grid development, but their importance often goes unnoticed. The interplay of stakeholders, technology, and institutions complicates smart grid implementation. Although existing research largely focuses on technical aspects, a holistic approach considering social, economic, environmental, and institutional dimensions is essential. This study aims to bridge this gap by employing the Institutional Analysis & Development (IAD) framework to enhance the Netherlands' electricity/energy system design, particularly at the community level, concerning the impacts of institutional rules on smart grid development and implementation.

The chosen research approach is a comparative case study, focusing on smart grid integration in the Netherlands. The Institutional Analysis and Development framework aids in analyzing complex socio-technical systems, particularly energy transitions and smart grids. Three cases were examined: Schoonschip Amsterdam, GridFlex Heeten, and Groene Mient The Hague. Data collection involved literature review and 14 semi-structured interviews with experts and stakeholders. Interview data was deductively coded using the IAD framework, facilitating comparative case analysis and cross-case analysis using the ASI diagram (Actors, System & Institutions).

The transition of the Dutch electricity system into a competitive liberalized market has increased the importance of smart grids for sustainability. Decentralized energy production, facilitated by smart grids, requires technological advancements and institutional changes at various levels. Successful smart grid implementation in the Netherlands involves obtaining exemptions, feasibility studies, and engaging legal entities like homeowners' associations and energy cooperatives. Cases emphasized the significance of pre-exemption feasibility studies, technological requirements, stakeholders like Distribution System Operators, and energy management systems.

The findings highlight the uniqueness of each case and the role of institutional rules. In Schoonschip, boundary, position, choice, and payoff rules were pivotal. GridFlex highlighted position, choice, information, and scope rules. Groene Mient showcased boundary, position, choice, payoff, and scope rules. These case studies underscore complexities in decision-making and governance within smart grid initiatives. Successful implementation requires considering technology, institutions, and stakeholders as indicated by the ASI diagram. The IAD framework analysis reveals the impact of biophysical conditions, community attributes, and rules-in-use on smart grid outcomes.

Recommendations include further research on evolving rules, understanding actor positions, interdisciplinary research, integrated decision-making frameworks, empirical case studies, and policy recommendations such as financial support, clear policy roles, local smart energy systems, positive framing, standardized data exchange, and umbrella organizations for cohesive local smart grid projects.

In conclusion, the study underscores the intricate nature of smart grid implementation, emphasizing the need for comprehensive consideration of technology, institutions, and stakeholders. The IAD framework sheds light on the complex dynamics, guiding effective decision-making and policy formulation for successful local smart grid development.

The aviation industry is one of the most challenging sectors to decarbonise. There is an urgent need to reduce emissions in order to meet its committed goal of achieving net-zero flying by 2050. Along with the existing and proposed decarbonization options such as electric aircraft, hydrogen fuel, and operational
improvements, a hard-to-abate sector like aviation would require large amounts of carbon dioxide removal in order to achieve net zero. One such technology-based carbon removal option is Direct Air Capture (DAC) which has the potential to emerge as a potential game-changer to mitigate aviation’s environmental impact. This thesis report presents an analysis of the suitability of adopting DAC for aviation sustainability, viewed through an institutional analysis lens using the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework. DAC is framed as a technology niche from the Multi-Level Perspective to get a descriptive understanding of the problem context and the interconnected parts in the larger picture of aviation sustainability innovations. Specific to DAC, multiple dimensions of DAC integration in the aviation sector, including technology, actors, and policy analysis are carried out. Employing the IAD framework, the underlying institutional arrangements, rules, and incentives influencing the adoption of DAC for carbon removal in the aviation industry are examined.

Data was collected from grey literature, industry reports and interviews with aviation industry professionals. To assess the suitability of DAC for aviation sustainability, various evaluative criteria such as carbon emission reduction potential, technological feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and market acceptance
were considered. There are trade-offs in using DAC for aviation such as complexity in carbon markets, uncertainties in carbon credit pricing, and challenges in accurately measuring DAC’s carbon removal effectiveness. It is seen that DAC holds promise as an innovative carbon removal technology with potential applications in aviation including but not limited to the use in sustainable aviation fuel production. The current state of technology is nascent but the proposed policies under the EU have the potential to drive the commercialization of this technology. The aviation industry stakeholders, along
with carbon market operators, DAC providers, and government policymakers, are key actors involved. The incentives and motivations of actors in determining the success and scalability of DAC for aviation are illustrated.

Based on the analysis, the following recommendations are provided. To minimize residual emissions from aviation, several strategic approaches can be undertaken. Firstly, fostering collaborative research and development among airlines, DAC technology providers, and research institutions can be vital to
tackle technological challenges and creating tailored DAC solutions for aviation. Secondly, governments should extend their support through policy incentives and research grants, encouraging DAC development and integration within the aviation industry. Thirdly, establishing robust standards and certification for DAC-derived Sustainable Aviation Fuel ensures the credibility and quality of carbon removal achieved, further supporting aviation sustainability

Amidst the burgeoning challenges of climate change, certain sectors, like the beer industry, find themselves at the forefront due to their dependence on climate-sensitive agricultural inputs. The changing climatic conditions not only influence the flavor profile but also the beer's accessibility, by affecting the quality and yield of essential ingredients such as barley and hops. This research delves into the beer industry's supply chains, which span regions increasingly vulnerable to climatic disruptions, thereby subjecting companies to notable physical risks like water shortages, crop failures, and transportation hindrances.

The pertinence of this study extends beyond the beer industry, revealing broader implications for various business sectors. As supply chains of numerous sectors traverse climate-sensitive zones, they're endangered by hazards like droughts and heatwaves. A prominent challenge exacerbating these threats is poor coordination, evidenced by inconsistent communication, delayed responses to disruptions, supply chain opaqueness, and misaligned adaptive strategies.

To address the overarching research question on effective coordination measures that the beer supply chain can adopt to mitigate vulnerabilities and bolster climate resilience, the study integrates both primary and secondary data. Primary data is sourced through semi-structured interviews, capturing insights from within the beer industry, while secondary data is derived from academic and industry repositories. The combined data offers a comprehensive perspective on the existing challenges and potential solutions for the beer supply chain.

A deep dive into the industry's supply chain relationships elucidates the inherent complexities, informing subsequent analyses on viable coordination mechanisms to combat climate vulnerabilities. Heineken, an industry stalwart, plays a crucial role in this exploration, with the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework assisting in structuring the problem analysis. This framework is invaluable in scrutinizing institutional setups and their resultant impacts, while Heineken's strategic initiatives are evaluated using action situation analysis.

One of the central themes emerging from the findings is the potential applicability of Elinor Ostrom's design principles. Originally conceived for effective common-pool resource management, these principles, emphasizing clear demarcation, rule-local condition congruence, and responsible governance, could be instrumental for the beer industry. They present a well-structured approach for devising coordination mechanisms, crucial in confronting collective environmental challenges.

In summation, this research underscores the imperative for the beer industry, and by extension, other sectors, to consider Ostrom's principles. Their adoption could pave the way for resilient and sustainable supply chains, proficient in circumventing climate-induced risks. Such proactive measures are not merely pivotal for sustaining business operations but paramount in ushering an era of sustainable, climate-resilient business practices.

The third version of the Green Deal Sustainable Healthcare 3.0 (GD3) in the Dutch elderly care sector represents a dynamic and shared governance model that promotes widespread participation and implementation of sustainability practices. The GD3 provides a blueprint for elderly care organisations to pursue sustainability goals, but its success depends on collaborative efforts supported by various tools and frameworks. This research explores how joining the GD3 facilitates the achievement of sustainability goals in elderly care organisations. Successful implementation of the GD3 can have far-reaching effects, of which inspiring other sectors to adopt similar collaborative approaches. However, its effectiveness depends on the performance of the participating organisations and their use of empowering tools such as the Milieuthermometer Zorg (MTZ). Interaction and cooperation between the diverse group of actors is essential to achieve the desired results, as the GD3 operates through a shared form of governance involving both bottom-up and governmental actors. Active participation, implementation of sustainable actions and maintaining trust and cooperation are crucial for the effectiveness of the GD3. Repeated experience with climate agreements such as the GD3 helps to build trust, reciprocity and reputation among participating actors. All of this is being explored in the context of other challenges specific to care for the elderly, such as staff shortages and an ageing population. Ultimately, the GD3 represents a valuable initiative within the health sector that provides a script for sustainability efforts, while allowing organisations the flexibility to adapt and take artistic license in achieving the intended outcomes. The aim is to present a dazzling sustainability show within three years, signalling a transformed system. Given the urgency of sustainability and the challenges posed by an ageing population, embracing GD3's collaborative and adaptive approach is essential for the future of healthcare, particularly in the context of elderly care in the Netherlands.

Reducing packaging waste is a pressing challenge requiring organisations to look beyond their own products, services and business models and take an ecosystem approach. Collaborative efforts in circular ecosystems offer a promising solution to tackle this issue. However, the impact of circular ecosystems on material flows in the packaging system, particularly considering uncertain actor behavior, remains unknown. This thesis aims to address this research gap by studying the dynamics of packaging waste in a circular food packaging ecosystem in the Netherlands.

Using a complex adaptive socio-technical systems approach, the research combines a systematic literature review and a case study with interviews to develop an agent-based model (ABM). The ABM incorporates three types of agents representing food producers, packaging producers, and waste treaters, who can form circular ecosystems focused on closed-loop recycling. Organisational decision-making theory is integrated into the ABM to account for actor behavior, considering different decision-styles and decision-rules.

The ABM explores the effect of multiple variables on packaging waste dynamics in circular ecosystems. Results indicate that circular ecosystems can be established with only a few actors prioritising circularity over individual profit, leading to significant reductions in packaging waste. The decision-style of the food producer plays a crucial role in ecosystems dominated by actors prioritising individual profit. However, availability and sharing of information on recycled material volumes and content are critical for circular ecosystems to emerge.

Circular ecosystems may face limitations due to recycled material shortages, leading to fluctuations in recycled content. Centralised waste treatment can stabilise recycled material supply and, subsequently, recycled content in packaging. Technological innovations hold potential for increasing recycled content and recycling rates, but additional changes in actor behavior and material prices are needed to utilise this potential. On top of that, other high-level circularity strategies should be employed to overcome limitations related to material shortage. Using recycled material could be incentivised through subsidies or taxes on raw materials, but the effectiveness of such measures will depend on the decision-making of the packaging producers.

The discussion reflects on the results, the ABM, and the overall research, identifying limitations and implications and suggesting future research directions. Further refinements to the ABM can enhance its accuracy and suitability for analysing circular ecosystems for waste reduction.

In conclusion, this research sheds light on the dynamics of packaging waste in a circular food packaging ecosystem in the Netherlands, considering actor behavior. The ABM provides a valuable analytical tool for studying circular ecosystems and their potential in the food packaging industry. By emphasizing actor collaboration, circular packaging ecosystems offer a pathway to a more sustainable food packaging industry.

Decentralised solar electricity generation on a large scale is a relatively new phenomenon. In the State of New York, the adoption of this form of renewable electricity generation has seen a surge over the last decade. However, policies that have been implemented over the last year, prompted experts to question the future of the market. The question is, what are the effects on energy security when these policies are in place? Using 3 relevant theories (TPB, VBN, and DOI) on household decision-making processes, a study of what is meant by decentralised solar and the context in which the market operates in the Empire State, I used an agent-based model to analyse the impacts of these policies in terms of energy security. Energy security is defined into 6 dimensions (Availability, Affordability, Accessibility, Acceptability, Ability, and Appeal). Experimentation and subsequent analysis showed a limited effect on most of these terms. However, a combination of these policies showed a less favourable effect on all scenarios as compared to the business-as-usual scenario. What was salient during experimentation was that the combination of the policies led to a difference in direction of the effects than when the effects of the policies implemented in isolation were added together. Indicating an inter-relationship between policies. Moreover, during market analysis it was found that the influence of the traditional utilities (owned by private investors) exert great influence on the policy making process, in their own favour. Based on this research, the future of decentralised solar electricity generation in the State of New York is going to be a tough battle with the greatest hurdle being overcoming the power of centralised utilities.

The aim of this thesis project is to understand how policy instruments influence the adoption of wood-based building practices and to examine the effect of increased wood-based construction on circular practices. This study identifies key actors in the built environment, including housing associations, private owners, construction and demolition companies, and material suppliers. The behavior and relationships of these actors are analyzed. An agent-based model is developed to explore the impact of various policy instruments, such as carbon taxation, demolition notification, and knowledge sharing. The study revealed several findings. First, there is significant inertia among construction compa- nies and building owners towards adopting wood-based construction, primarily due to high initial investments and lack of familiarity. This results in a hefty premium being paid for wood-based construction before it becomes well established. It was discovered that a substantial subsidy on mass timber is essential. Additionally, significant taxation on reinforced concrete, such as through carbon taxation, helps overcome the inertia in the system. Another effective instrument is the sharing of wood-based construction knowledge among construction companies. Once wood-based construction is established, it becomes cost-competitive, reducing the need for continuous stimu- lation through policy instruments. With the establishment of wood-based construction, several effects on the circularity in the built environment and material usage have been identified. Despite a shift to wood-based construction, the demand for concrete remains significant. This underscores the importance of concrete recycling practices. The increase in wood content in construction requires enhanced mass-timber recycling practices. This study highlights the role of temporary material storage in facilitating circularity. It suggests the need for strategies to match material streams from demolition to construction. In summary, this thesis project demonstrates that a combination of policy instruments, especially carbon taxation and knowledge sharing, is crucial in transitioning to wood-based construction. The study highlights the need for continued attention to concrete use and recycling, especially when wood-based practices gain traction.

Corporations’ economic activities put significant stress on the environment. In order to limit global warming to 1.5°C, companies need to significantly reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. However, shifting the responsibility of decarbonisation from being solely on governments to being shared with these companies is only a recent phenomenon. This study therefore explores how more companies can be stimulated to take climate action. To research this, the steel industry is taken as a case study. This particular industry is responsible for a large share of global emissions and includes many non-European firms which have been shown to trail behind their European counterparts considering climate action. The number of companies committing to the SBTi is defined as a quantifiable metric to track the development of climate action in the sector. Initial findings suggest that companies respond vigorously to financial stimulants like carbon pricing. Moreover, it is found that different stakeholder groups can stimulate the decarbonisation of heavy industry in various ways. Firms require certain factors to be at adequate levels before they commit themselves to deep decarbonisation. As such, governmental agencies can play an important role by ensuring that limiting factors like low-carbon electricity are abundant. Financial institutions can furthermore use their position to limit the financial risk for companies willing to decarbonise, while other stakeholder groups can focus on creating awareness and urgency. Altogether, the study results in a novel attempt to develop a useful agent-based model of a business ecosystem in light of the net zero energy transition. Apart from providing insights to stakeholders on how to effectively stimulate climate action, it functions as a foundation for future academic work on this topic.

The imperative to address climate change has led to a critical need for transformation within the Dutch energy system. Recent efforts have focused on decentralisation and innovative technologies to steer towards a fossil-free future. Hydrogen energy emerges as a pivotal contender with potential benefits at all societal levels. This study delves into the emergence of small-scale hydrogen networks (SHNs), localised systems serving specific regions or communities. Amidst the prominence of large-scale projects, these smaller endeavours play a pivotal, yet often overlooked, role in realizing the energy transition. However, understanding these sociotechnical systems remains challenging due to the early stages of the hydrogen transition and limited research on small-scale integration. Utilizing a qualitative interpretive research approach, this thesis uncovers contextual factors influencing SHN formation. Following a problem-focused design science research strategy, the study outlines the three pillars of SHNs - technology, actors, and institutional landscape - with a focus on the Goeree-Overflakkee case. Insights into barriers and enablers for SHN formation are pivotal. The value chain, categorised into upstream (production), midstream (storage and transportation), and downstream (usage), is explored. Furthermoe, actor analysis is employed to identify, categorise, and analyse roles and interrelations. Williamson's four-layer model is applied to examine the institutional landscape. Results highlight significant barriers, including regulatory gaps, negative business cases, and limited capacities. Complex actor interactions, financial constraints, and expertise shortages further impede progress. Enablers such as an innovative organisational culture, synergy creation, and vital local government support emerge as critical facilitators. The study emphasises the significance of incremental steps, adaptive management, and flexible legal frameworks in integrating SHNs. Through a lens of technology, actors, and institutional context, this research provides valuable insights into SHN enablers and barriers in the Dutch context.

The transition to renewable energy sources affects all sectors of society, including the industrial sector. Besides climate policy ambitions and other concerns regarding the social and environmental acceptability of energy provision, the transition to renewables may also improve the availability and affordability of energy services. The latter holds especially in some developing countries, where the development of energy infrastructure often lags behind the needs of industry. For many industries, the energy transition challenge entails the future substitution of high temperature, fossil-fired processes to lower temperature e.g., electrochemical conversion routes, which will make them much more than now depend on the reliable and affordable provision of electricity. However, in many developing economies, even the current provision of electricity is far from reliable. Transitioning to power generation from renewable energy (RE) sources can contribute to a more diversified, resilient, and environmentally-friendly power generation mix.
If the energy sector in developing economies does not sufficiently invest in a robust generation mix for the future, industry itself may consider to take the lead. For individual companies, however, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), the high upfront investment costs of infrastructure for harvesting and transporting renewable energy present a significant hurdle. Inspired by the literature on community energy systems (CES) and industrial symbiosis (IS), this thesis set out to investigate if, and under which conditions, industrial companies may be willing to join forces in industrial community energy systems (InCES) in order to secure their supply of electricity from renewable energy sources.

Food waste remains a large problem globally, not only in the light of global greenhouse gas emissions, but also in the light of decreasing resource availability. Research in this area has so far mainly focused on behavioral factors influencing production of food waste, while the formal and informal institutions that relate to the management of waste play an equally important role in shaping individual and company behavior. This research focuses on how food waste can be better managed among students, one of the biggest food waste contributors in the national food waste account, and other actors, such as companies and supermarkets, which continuously produce a lot of food waste. Accordingly, this thesis asks as a main research question: How do Institutional Barriers and Drivers influence the Food Waste Management of Students and Food Waste Initiatives in Cologne?
The case study is the city of Cologne, Germany. The city of Cologne has been chosen as a single-case study due to the fact that it is one of the largest student cities in Germany and also home to many companies and initiatives that are engaging in reducing food waste. Data is collected through literature search, interviews and student surveys. The interviews have been conducted with nine different actors from food waste initiatives, supermarkets or associations. The data from the interviews has ben anonymized for the purposes of this thesis. The research follows an inductive and qualitative approach, which is why the survey that is collecting data from students is not used for statistical analysis. The aim is to find the drivers and barriers for food waste and develop a theory in the best case from it.
This research captures the informal institutions (i.e. norms, rules and strategies) that shape student behavior, in conjunction with the strategies of different waste companies and initiatives. These informal institutions are analyzed within the framing of formal rules and regulations relating to food waste. The institutional network analysis (INA) approach that is built on the Institutional Analysis Development (IAD) framework and Institutional grammar (IG) is used to relate all institutions together in one picture to identify potential institutional misalignments. The collected data from the literature, the interviews and the survey, is coded using the institutional grammar by Ostrom (1995). Additionally, this thesis develops the institutional grammar a little further by introducing some new elements. On the one hand survey data is used for the first time in the institutional network analysis, which overall gives the network analysis more credibility through a larger data base. On the other hand, expectations have been introduced to the networks as a new element next to rules, norms and strategies. By using the institutional grammar according to Ostrom (1995), five action situations were identified. Action situations, or action arenas are situations in which rules, norms and strategies through conflicts form actor’s behavior. The action situations that were identified in this research encompass Waste Prevention, Waste Disposal, Waste Treatment, Sustainability Understanding and Best-Before Date. The action situations were defined according to the waste hierarchy of German Law and the findings of the institutional network analysis.
Next to the institutional network analysis, a descriptive analysis helps identifying patterns from the collected data, which in turn helps embedding the results of the network analysis into a broader context. The descriptive analysis takes into account all gathered data that cannot be used for the institutional network analysis, but which can still provide important insights into the problem. Last, another more descriptive section provides an overview about the current German food waste management system, to be able to understand later on which parts would need improvement.
The main finding of this study is that opposing expectations about how to effectively reduce food waste by the different actors mirror a general awareness on food waste in Cologne, but also reveal a lack of rules and norms in the area of food waste management. Moreover, the combined results of the network analysis and the general observations show that institutional misalignments among expectations are often not resolved through actor’s engaging in trying to prevent food waste. The actors in contrast are remaining rather inactive and seemingly hope that the government finds solutions for their expectations. To remove the barriers to improve the food waste management in Cologne even further, nine policy recommendations were formulated. The recommendations are based on the findings of this study, but are also subject to limitations, which could not have been further investigated in this thesis.
One of the main takes aways of this study is that seemingly more orientation and clearer rules are needed for many actors, which have to come from the government. Only providing information events and education is not enough to reduce food waste, but clear regulations for customers and retail are needed. This can be achieved through providing clearer framework conditions for all actors could lead to the development of societal norms and a common understanding of food waste as a pressing issue and resolve the differing expectations. Further research should therefore focus on further solutions for removing the misalignments of the actors.

Key Words: Food Waste, Waste Prevention, Waste Treatment, Waste Disposal, Institutional Network Analysis, Institutional Interdependencies, Cologne, Differing Expectations

The Dutch government has set an ambitious goal: by 2030, greenhouse gas emissions in the Netherlands should be 49% lower than they were in 1990.But even though geothermal energy is gaining recognition given the high heating demand in the Netherlands and its subsurface potential, implementation of this technology, especially in urban areas, is stagnating. A threefold-knowledge gap was identified in literature. First, it was identified that the viability of geothermal energy is case-specific. Therefore, the lack of knowledge about geothermal energy implementation in metropolitan setting results in uncertainty about the possible trade-offs of stakeholders and makes stakeholders wary of entering the market. Second, it is unclear how and to what extend regional norms, rules and regulations influence development of geothermal systems in urban areas after policy has been adopted. Third, significance of social acceptance is being discussed in a growing number of studies, however it is unclear how social acceptance may be operationalized in policy implementation research. Therefore, this thesis addresses the question how and to what extent institutions influence the success of the geothermal energy policy implementation process in urban areas in the Netherlands. The aim of this research is to consistently track institutions in geothermal energy policy implementation in urban areas in the Netherlands. For this purpose, a comparative case study has been designed to contrast the geothermal policy implementation process of two municipalities, The Hague and Nieuwegein, that share similarities in urban development, external context and type of geothermal technology, but differ in policy outcome. To structure the individual case analysis, a theoretical framework is developed that utilizes elements from the Multiple Streams Framework (MSF) by Kingdon and the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) Framework by Ostrom. From the findings it can be concluded that taking institutions into consideration influences the political and policy flow directly. The primary issues raised by the comparative analysis relate to social, ethical, and politically significant transactions. The lengthy policy implementation process was tainted by a general (mis)trust of the decisionmakers, and concerns were focussed about the equitable allocation of risks and rewards and the willingness to work together for a sustainable system.