The aim of this book is to highlight the great potential of
decentralized (i.e. local or urban) energy policies in achieving
environmentally-benign developments for modern cities. Urban
sustainability is placed in the context of the debate on global
sustainable development. A wide array of policy initiatives is discussed
and evaluated, ranging from market-based energy policies to
technological innovation policies for the energy sector. A theoretical
framework for technology adoption processes is developed and empirically
tested. The main question addressed is: which are the critical success
factors for successful urban energy policies? This question is also
dealt with in a meta-analytic context by assessing and comparing the
performance of energy policies in various European cities, with a
particular view to renewable energy.