Differentiation and Ecological Modernization in Water and Electricity Provision and Consumption

Abstract

This paper deals with environmental innovation in practices of water and electricity provision and consumption in an era of rapid change in the regulation of water and electricity systems and patterns of consumption. Liberalization of former utility sectors offers windows of opportunity to differentiate former uniform water and electricity provision in green services for consumers. The roles of consumers towards water and electricity providers will therefore differentiate from captive consumers towards customers, co-providers and citizen-consumers. The argument is supported with recent examples of (green) differentiation in water and electricity sectors in The Netherlands.