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Lara Strupeit

Lars Strupeit

Project manager

Lara Strupeit

The deployment of new energy technologies and the need for local learning

Author

  • Lena Neij
  • Eva Heiskanen
  • Lars Strupeit

Summary, in English

The objective of this paper is to identify local aspects of technological learning in the deployment of solar photovoltaic (PV), a globally important form of distributed energy technology. We review literature in the economics of innovation and economic geography to identify the need for local learning when adopting new technologies and seek evidence on the local aspects of learning processes in the deployment of new (energy) technologies. The analysis focuses on the empirical evidence of learning processes in PV deployment. Our findings show that learning for PV deployment exhibits characteristics of local learning identified in the innovation literature (tacit knowledge, shared narratives, user relations and learning in interorganizational networks). In addition, we show that competencies in the deployment of PV rely on learning processes that are closely connected to the historically and geographically distinctive characteristics of the built environment. We also find evidence of the significance of proximity in (local) learning, as well as examples of knowledge being codified over time into national and global knowledge flows. We conclude with policy implications that acknowledge the importance of local learning for deployment.

Department/s

  • The International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics

Publishing year

2017-02-01

Language

English

Pages

274-283

Publication/Series

Energy Policy

Volume

101

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Elsevier

Topic

  • Social Sciences Interdisciplinary
  • Energy Systems

Keywords

  • Distributed energy technologies
  • Energy technology deployment
  • Local learning
  • Solar photovoltaic (PV)
  • Technological learning

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0301-4215