Structuring Socio-Technical Complexity in Infrastructure Systems: The Biogas System

Abstract: Infrastructure systems consist of many heterogeneous decision making entities and technological artefacts. They are governed through public policy that unravels in a multi-scale institutional context, ranging from norms and values to technical standards. For example, to integrate biogas infrastructure in a region, various forms of governance, laws and regulations need to be implemented. To effectively design these requirements, insights into socio-technical systems can be gained through agent-based modelling and simulation. To implement such social concepts in agent-based models of infrastructure systems, we designed a modelling framework called MAIA, based on the Institutional Analysis and Development framework of Elinor Ostrom. This paper will explain how MAIA can be used to model a biogas energy infrastructure in the Netherlands. Citation: Verhoog, R., Ghorbani, A., Dijkema, G.P.J. & Weijnen, M.P.C. (2014). Structuring Socio-Technical Complexity in Infrastructure Systems: The Biogas System. In: Campbell P. and Perez P. (Eds), Proceedings of the International Symposium of Next Generation Infrastructure, 1-4 October 2013, SMART Infrastructure Facility, University of Wollongong, Australia.