Low carbon development, poverty reduction and
innovation system building
Rob Byrne and David Ockwell
Sussex Energy Group, STEPS Centre and Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
University of Sussex, Brighton
R.P.Byrne@sussex.ac.uk
Learning, Innovation and Low Carbon Development
Globelics seminar
Aalborg University, Copenhagen
4-5 April 2013
Overview
• International low carbon development policy
• Technology transfer and innovation
• Socio-technical transitions and pathways
• Low carbon innovation system building
• Conclusions and speculations
Accumulated investment through the CDM in USD billion by selected countries and
regions as at end of October 2012 (http://www.cdmpipeline.org)
Africa, 3.6, 2%
ROW, 25.6, 13%
Brazil, 2.0, 1%
India, 22.1, 12%
China, 135.0,
72%
Key
Country, USD billion, percentage
ROW: Rest of the World
Source: Authors, based on analysis of the CDM pipeline
Number of registered CDM projects as at end of October 2012, by project type (4908
total registered projects) (http://www.cdmpipeline.org)
Hydro
Wind
Methane avoidance
Biomass energy
Landfill gas
EE own generation
Solar
N2O
Fossil fuel switch
EE industry
Coal bed/mine methane
EE households
EE supply side
Reforestation
Fugitive
HFCs
Cement
Transport
Geothermal
PFCs and SF6
Energy distribution
Afforestation
EE service
CO2 usage
Tidal
1414
1413
469
459
272
234
121
79
73
69
61
35
35
33
25
22
21
17
15
14
12
7
5
2
1
• 87% registered CDM projects use just six
types of technology
• Only one new renewable energy
technology – wind – although mature
relative to other new renewables
• Solar only 2% of portfolio
Source: Authors, based on analysis of the CDM pipeline
Technology transfer and innovation
Watson et al (2011: 16) based on Bell (1990)
Technology
Transfer
National Innovation System
Capital goods,
services & designs
Skills & know-how
for operation &
maintenance
Knowledge &
expertise behind
technology
New production
capacity
Accumulation of
technological
capacity
Indigenous
support for
technological
capabilities
Socio-technical transitions
Multi-level framework or perspective (MLP)
Source: Geels (2002: 1261)
Socio-technical transitions
Regime alignments
Source: Geels (2004: 912)
Sources of images in reference list at end
Socio-technical expectations and learning
Expectation 1
‘First-order’ learning
‘Starting’ point
‘Second-order’ learning
‘First-order’ learning
Expectation 2
Sources of images in reference list at end
Socio-technical paradigm and trajectory (based on Byrne 2011: 210)
Physical
Properties
Exploited
Material
Technology
Scientific Knowledge
Production Process Technologies
Engineering Skills
Engineering
Practices
Technological and
Economic Trade-Offs
Engineering Procedures
Engineering Heuristics
Product
Characteristics
Product Aesthetics
Product Functionality
User Preferences
User Needs
SocioTechnical
Paradigm
User Practices
User Requirements
Regulations
Institutions
Government Policy
Supply
Maintenance
Training
Infrastructures
Finance
Repair
Retail
SocioTechnical
Trajectory
Socio-technical transitions
Niche building
Socio-technical niche development and trajectory carried by local projects
Source: Berkhout et al. (2010: 264)
Conclusions and speculations
• Innovation system builders
– Connecting, coordinating, learning, political work…
• Public and private sector roles
– Public sector can bear risks of learning, private sector replicates…
• Market development to industrialisation
• Local innovation capabilities help poverty reduction needs?
References
Bell, M. (1990) Continuing Industrialisation, Climate Change and International Technology Transfer, Report prepared
in Collaboration with the Resource Policy Group, Oslo and Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex,
Brighton, December
Berkhout, F., G. Verbong, A. Wieczorek, R. Raven, L. Lebel and X. Bai (2010) “Sustainability experiments in Asia:
innovations shaping alternative development pathways?”, Environmental Science & Policy 13(2010): 261-271
Byrne, R. (2011) Learning drivers: rural electrification regime building in Kenya and Tanzania, DPhil thesis, University
of Sussex, Brighton
Geels, F. (2002) “Technological transitions as evolutionary reconfiguration processes: a multi-level perspective and a
case-study”, Research Policy 31(2002): 1257–1274
Geels, F. (2004) “From sectoral systems of innovation to socio-technical systems: Insights about dynamics and
change from sociology and institutional theory”, Research Policy 33(2004): 897-920
Watson, J., R. Byrne, A. Mallett, M. Stua, D. Ockwell, Z. Xiliang, Z. Da, Z. Tianhou, Z. Xiaofeng and O. Xunmin (2011)
UK-China Collaborative Study on Low Carbon Technology Transfer, Final report for UK Department of Energy
and Climate Change, SPRU, University of Sussex, Brighton and Laboratory for Low Carbon Energy, Tsinghua
University, Beijing, April
References
Images on slides 8 and 9
Africa-charity-solar-panels: http://www.charcoalproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Africa-charity-solar-panels_21.jpg
Batteries: http://www.cekl.com/images/stories/products/battteries.jpg
Biofuel: http://www.reoc.info/files/biofuel4.jpg
Crowd (21/10/12) http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01688/crowd_1688541c.jpg
Hydro in china: http://www.energy-green.net/blog/upload/hydropower-in-China.jpg
Lantern: http://practicalaction.org/glowstar/images/lantern_off.jpg
Maasai Pastoralist: http://ih2.redbubble.net/image.10084503.7370/flat,550x550,075,f.jpg
Maasai: http://ccafs.cgiar.org/sites/default/files/maasai.jpg?1350579523
Peru microhydro: http://practicalaction.org/video/images/previews/peru-microhydro-initial.jpg
SESA Massai Uday: http://www.newscenter.philips.com/pwc_nc/main/shared/assets/newscenter/2008_pressreleases/SESA_Massai_Uday.jpg
Sizewell b: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/11/22/1258907566883/Sizewell-B-nuclear-power--001.jpg
Small wind turbine: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/media/image/j/o/small_wind_turbine.jpg
Solar home light: http://pimg.tradeindia.com/00710412/b/1/Solar-Home-Light-Luminary-CFL-.jpg
Solar modules various: http://linuosolar.win.mofcom.gov.cn/www/36/linuosolar/img/20071116112919.jpg
Solar power plant: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/About/General/2011/5/9/1304935605405/A-solar-power-plant-in-th-007.jpg
Wavepower: http://www.pelamiswave.com/upload/image/i_heart_wave_power_badge_-_copy.jpg
Windpower: http://news.thomasnet.com/green_clean/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/EarthTalkWindPowerNIMBY-700221.jpg
Thank you
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/sussexenergygroup
http://www.steps-centre.org
http://www.tyndall.ac.uk/