The Portuguese Photovoltaic Innovation System - Lessons for economies of high application potential and emerging industries in photovoltaic technologies

Abstract

On a global scale, the fossil fuel based energy supply sector produces the largest share of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, an indispensable action, to encounter the threads of a climate change, is the structural change of the energy supply system. Photovoltaic technologies are one very promising renewable energy technology. To overcome institutional barriers and increase the development of this technology the blocking and inducement mechanisms of the diffusion of PV technologies are researched. Within the last two decades the photovoltaic technology has been researched and developed leading to continuous cost reduction and performance improvement (IEA 2009 b). If the PV technology will continue its worldwide expansion numerous new national PV technology clusters are expected to appear. In the near future especially late developed national PV markets with favourable geographical conditions for PV technologies will show a high development potential. In this regard, this work investigates Portugal as an exemplary case. It is further assessed whether general key lessons can be derived for other economies of high application potential and emerging industries in photovoltaic technologies. This work was conducted as a master thesis at Chalmers University of Technology. The data collection was conducted partly during an internship with Schott Solar AG in Barcelona and several visits to Portugal. The Technology Innovation System framework was used to analyse the functionality of the Portuguese PV innovation system. The analysis indicated, fife blocking and four inducement mechanism which delay and obstruct or induce and accelerate the development of the Portuguese innovation system, respectively. Surprisingly some mechanisms have been found to accelerate and delay the development at the same time. In a second step, key lessons for economies of high application potential and emerging industries in photovoltaic technologies are derived from the analysis of the Portuguese PV innovation system.