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use products, such as room air conditioners and passenger vehicles.
In these cases, the standards provided a clear direction for product
development by aiming at higher energy efficiency and eliminating
low efficiency products from the market.
The case study of the Japanese Top Runner Programme illustrates
that ambitious policies that match market conditions and technological
conditions can work well to induce remarkable energy efficiency
improvements. Because such conditions depend on the country and
the phase of technological development, careful design and adjustment
are required for effective policy making.
1.3.9 Support for Diversity in Technology and Market
Formation is Essential
The experience of wind turbine policy intervention shows the
importance of applying a diversified technology portfolio. Moreover,
the study illustrates the difficulties in foreseeing the drivers and
trends of any given technology and the need to provide subsidies for
implementation to many actors.
RD&D is fundamental but not sufficient. In many countries, wind
energy innovation was initially supported through RD&D only and the
innovation process was envisioned to be linear. However, the RD&D
funding alone did not bring about any commercial applications.
To support technology innovation, quality assurance is essential.
An important component of the innovation path of wind turbines was
the development of a certification process.
Support for innovator interaction and networking is essential.
However, models for interaction and networking have only
gradually developed over time and have been designed differently in
different countries.
Support requires a systemic approach. The case of wind energy
shows that governmental policy needs to support the development
of the entire innovation system, i.e., the development of turbines and
their infrastructure, and also the involvement of actors, necessary
networks, and institutions.
Support needs to be stable and continuous. The history of wind
turbine development is long; it started in the 1880s. Many failures
have occurred over time. Yet, continuous support allowed knowledge
creation and learning, as well as essential market formation that paved
the successful innovation path of onshore wind energy and which is
now the basis for the development of offshore wind energy.
56 Low Carbon Development in China and India
In these cases, the standards provided a clear direction for product
development by aiming at higher energy efficiency and eliminating
low efficiency products from the market.
The case study of the Japanese Top Runner Programme illustrates
that ambitious policies that match market conditions and technological
conditions can work well to induce remarkable energy efficiency
improvements. Because such conditions depend on the country and
the phase of technological development, careful design and adjustment
are required for effective policy making.
1.3.9 Support for Diversity in Technology and Market
Formation is Essential
The experience of wind turbine policy intervention shows the
importance of applying a diversified technology portfolio. Moreover,
the study illustrates the difficulties in foreseeing the drivers and
trends of any given technology and the need to provide subsidies for
implementation to many actors.
RD&D is fundamental but not sufficient. In many countries, wind
energy innovation was initially supported through RD&D only and the
innovation process was envisioned to be linear. However, the RD&D
funding alone did not bring about any commercial applications.
To support technology innovation, quality assurance is essential.
An important component of the innovation path of wind turbines was
the development of a certification process.
Support for innovator interaction and networking is essential.
However, models for interaction and networking have only
gradually developed over time and have been designed differently in
different countries.
Support requires a systemic approach. The case of wind energy
shows that governmental policy needs to support the development
of the entire innovation system, i.e., the development of turbines and
their infrastructure, and also the involvement of actors, necessary
networks, and institutions.
Support needs to be stable and continuous. The history of wind
turbine development is long; it started in the 1880s. Many failures
have occurred over time. Yet, continuous support allowed knowledge
creation and learning, as well as essential market formation that paved
the successful innovation path of onshore wind energy and which is
now the basis for the development of offshore wind energy.
56 Low Carbon Development in China and India
