halle institute for economic research peter franz the adaptation of new technologies by regional...

Halle Institute for Economic Research

Peter Franz

The Adaptation of New Technologies by Regional Innovation Systems: The Example of Universities and

Photovoltaics

Paper for the DIME WP 2.3 Workshop

“Local and sectoral systems of innovations – Policy measures and possibilities”

in Marburg, Germany November 19-21, 2008


Structure of argumentation

• RIS as a research design oriented to actors and their relations

• Universities and research institutes as important actors in RIS

• Photovoltaics – a new technology?

• Empirical results

• Conclusions and new questions


The RIS perspective

• RIS in research: Task of delimitating a set of interrelated actors

• RIS do not only have actors, but also content = alignment to (a) certain technology(ies)

• Are RIS subject to life-cycles? Can RIS be exposed to lock-ins?

• What features of a RIS define its capabilty to re-align to a new technology?


Universities as actors in RIS

• Inclusion of universities in RIS a recent phenomenon

• Comes together with a new „regional responsibility“ attributed to universities

• Knowledge transfer as official task: „Die Hochschulen … fördern die Verbreitung und Nutzen ihrer Forschungsergebnisse im gesellschaftlichen Leben und in der beruflichen Praxis …. Hierzu können Transferstellen eingerichtet werden “ (§ 3, University Law of Saxony-Anhalt 2005)


Universities as actors in RIS

Functions of universities:a) Antenna function: Screening and

absorbing knowledge external to the region

b) Producing new human capital (teaching)

c) Producing new knowledge (research) Positive feedback loop between (b) and (c)


Photovoltaics as a new technology I

• Basics: Discovery of the photoelectric effect by Becquerel 1839; explanation of this phenomenon by Einstein 1905

• Pioneering phase 1 (mid-80s): Basic research and first applications by large enterprises (AEG, Siemens, MBB)


Photovoltaics as a new technology II

• Pioneering phase 2 (up to mid-90s): Political support (1000-Dächer-Programm); founding of research institutes specialized to photovoltaics

• Take-off (up to now): Intensified political support (100.000-Dächer-Programm; EEG); rapid growth of all kind of firms at the different steps of the value chain


Value chain in the solar industry


Photovoltaics as a new technology III

• 21% of the workforce in the solar industry have a university degree and 3% a doctor‘s title

High demand for university graduates• Relatively standardized products since the

pioneering phase 2• Tenfold increase of sales between 2003 and

2007 up to 5.5 billions € (Biotechnology: 31% increase 2005-07 up to 2.1 billions €)


Photovoltaics as a new technology IV

Favourable environmental growth factors:• High societal acceptance of the technologyCivic action groups supporting the

application of the technology

• Large number of skilled handicraft firms

• Differentiated industry producing electric equipment


Photovoltaics as a new technology IV

Problems• Still low efficiency of solar cells:

In 2007 solar electric power contributed to 0.6% of the electric power totally consumed in Germany

• Problems of feeding solar power into the power supply network

Intensive research activities requiredPotential for universities to cooperate


Photovoltaics as a new technology V

Potentials

• Increased chance for growth of solar firms in regions where universities react to their needs (specific human capital; opportunities for research cooperations)


Empirical results

Data sources:

a)Photon-Database comprising university courses of studies referring to photovoltaics (Photon 6/2008, 170-181)

b)Database of the Federal Government comprising research grants of three ministries (http://foerderportal.bund.de) Selected period: 1992-2008


Empirical results I

Teaching• In Germany a relatively wide dispersion of 171

courses of studies with a focus on photovoltaics at 89 universities

• Universities of applied sciences predominate (65 out of 89)

• 86% of the courses at faculties of engineering• 7.6% at faculties of natural science• 5.3% at faculties of economics


German universities with courses and research in photovoltaics


Empirical results II

Research (at universities)• 43% of the universities offering courses of

studies in photovoltaics also active in (externally funded) research

• Largest numbers and highest amounts of research grants for universities in the South (Stuttgart, Darmstadt, Konstanz, Munich)


German universities with courses and research in photovoltaics and research institutes with research in photovoltaics


Empirical results III

Research (at non-university research institutes)

• Strong position of research institutes in Freiburg and Stuttgart, but East German research institutes catching up (highest amounts in Berlin and Freiberg)


Conclusions

• Universities offering courses in photovoltaics are geographically widespread

• Nearly 50% of the universities offering degrees in photovoltaics are active in research

• Especially East German universities dispose of unrealized opportunities to cooperate with solar firms


New / Old questions

• Research institutes not attached to universities are important players in the regional?-national? innovation system

• Up to now there are few regions uniting a bundle of teaching, research and production

• Still few industry locations combining multiple steps of the value chain

• Which research focus is more adequate: RIS or photovoltaics as a technical system?


Thanks for listening!

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