Assessing the success and failure of biogas units in Israel: Social niches, practices, and transitions among Bedouin villages

Abstract The heuristic multi-level perspective framework (MLP) is applied here to explore the innovation process and determinants of adoption and diffusion of an individual project. Drawing on insights from this explanatory and integrative framework, we benefit from an in-depth examination into drivers and barriers to biogas technology. We retrospectively investigate a frame of the project “Integrated Waste Recycling Systems for Agricultural and Environmental Safety Purposes in Rural Communities in Jordan and Israel”. Precisely, our work focuses on the outcomes of the implementation of biogas units in three Bedouin villages in Southern Israel. The adoption and diffusion of technology incorporated learning processes and changing behaviours such as skill development, competencies, social practices and new social roles. Knowledge, and financial and policymaker support were critical drivers. Besides, the involvement of women and young community members was a crucial aspect of the adoption. By contrast, patriarchy and financial capability represented barriers. We commented on the creation of social niches, and we recognised niche management actions along with the project progression. The introduction of social niches concept represents an extension to an extension to the traditional MLP vocabulary throughout a new paradigm of meanings. The social niche plays the role of the agency that embodies that embodies individuals’ levels and bridge social practices to the regime. Moreover, we conclude that the biogas innovation process was the outcome of the coevolution of technological and social niches. Furthermore, we assert the importance of exploring the role of social niches and niche strategic management in the transition studies in poor contexts.