Blockchain-enabled Sustainability in the Energy Sector: Exploring the environmental potential of technological advancements
Hundal, Amaya (2020)
Hundal, Amaya
2020
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020062319270
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020062319270
Tiivistelmä
The need for sustainable environmental practices is evident as the issue of climate change and its lasting impacts become increasingly salient for today’s global setting and for the future generations. A key contributor to the changing global climate are the greenhouse gas emissions that accompany energy generation, hence highlighting the need for environmental sustainability within the industry. The essential role of technology has been high-lighted as an enabler of innovative developments. Blockchain is one such technology, identified to be a potential disruptor of the energy sector.
Hence, creating the basis of a research intended towards the exploration of an enabling relationship; whether direct or indirect, between blockchain technology and sustainable developments in the energy sector. The achievement of this research objective is built upon by firstly aiming towards the identification of the key factors that encourage technological advancements in energy; followed by an inquiry into how these advancements could aid the energy industry towards environmental sustainability.
The selected methodology followed an exploratory approach via qualitative data collection and analysis. 8 semi-structured expert interviews were the source of the collected data, which was then analysed via the content analysis technique.
The key outcomes offered more opposition to the enabling qualities of blockchain for environmental sustainability in the energy sector with lesser encouraging factors for its integration being found, especially in the short-term.
A number of developments are first required to occur in order for the environmental potential of blockchain to be realised in energy.
Hence, creating the basis of a research intended towards the exploration of an enabling relationship; whether direct or indirect, between blockchain technology and sustainable developments in the energy sector. The achievement of this research objective is built upon by firstly aiming towards the identification of the key factors that encourage technological advancements in energy; followed by an inquiry into how these advancements could aid the energy industry towards environmental sustainability.
The selected methodology followed an exploratory approach via qualitative data collection and analysis. 8 semi-structured expert interviews were the source of the collected data, which was then analysed via the content analysis technique.
The key outcomes offered more opposition to the enabling qualities of blockchain for environmental sustainability in the energy sector with lesser encouraging factors for its integration being found, especially in the short-term.
A number of developments are first required to occur in order for the environmental potential of blockchain to be realised in energy.