structure of argumentation

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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

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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. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Structure of argumentation

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

Page 2: Structure of argumentation

Halle Institute for Economic Research

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

Page 3: Structure of argumentation

Halle Institute for Economic Research

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?

Page 4: Structure of argumentation

Halle Institute for Economic Research

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)

Page 5: Structure of argumentation

Halle Institute for Economic Research

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)

Page 6: Structure of argumentation

Halle Institute for Economic Research

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)

Page 7: Structure of argumentation

Halle Institute for Economic Research

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

Page 8: Structure of argumentation

Halle Institute for Economic Research

Value chain in the solar industry

Page 9: Structure of argumentation

Halle Institute for Economic Research

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 €)

Page 10: Structure of argumentation

Halle Institute for Economic Research

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

Page 11: Structure of argumentation

Halle Institute for Economic Research

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

Page 12: Structure of argumentation

Halle Institute for Economic Research

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)

Page 13: Structure of argumentation

Halle Institute for Economic Research

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

Page 14: Structure of argumentation

Halle Institute for Economic Research

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

Page 15: Structure of argumentation

Halle Institute for Economic Research

German universities with courses and research in photovoltaics

Page 16: Structure of argumentation

Halle Institute for Economic Research

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)

Page 17: Structure of argumentation

Halle Institute for Economic Research

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

Page 18: Structure of argumentation

Halle Institute for Economic Research

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)

Page 19: Structure of argumentation

Halle Institute for Economic Research

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

Page 20: Structure of argumentation

Halle Institute for Economic Research

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?

Page 21: Structure of argumentation

Halle Institute for Economic Research

Thanks for listening!