A Model of Collaborative Governance for Renewable Energy Development in Iran: an Institutional Perspective

The collaborative governance of renewable energy development, as a major solution to pollution, climate change and economic growth, has been selected as a new model for development policies in Iran, and has caused new interactions between public, private, and public actors. This research by using qualitative methodology and after 25 semi-structured interviews with policy makers, managers of organizations and companies, NGOs and investors to present a participatory development model with an institutional approach in Iran. The collaborative governance is a process that has initiated by motivation and moving the engagement cycle through effective interaction. By resolving conflicts, building trust and creating commitment amongst actors, this cycle enhances the collaborative process and achieves the desired outcomes. In this model, the dual role of cognitive, normative and formal institutions as a factor for progress and simultaneously a factor for prohibition of collaboration have investigated. The government by introducing incentive laws has created the incentive to invest in this sector. But some of the normative and cognitive institutional barriers, such as conflict of interests, non-commitment of state officials and private-sector distrust, have led to a lack of progress in development. At the end, some solutions including: commitment tools (campaigns, coalitions, and associations), participation of state organizations in paying social and social benefits, realizing the prices of energy carriers and using the combination of demand-side policies as the supply side have been proposed.