Driving technological innovation for a low-carbon society: case studies for solar photovoltaics and carbon capture and storage
This project, which is the first of three within the partnership programme between the business leaders’ initiative 3C (Combat Climate Change) and the Stockholm Environment Institute, has researched the development and deployment of two technologies that could play key roles in supplying electricity for a low carbon society: solar photovoltaics (PV) and carbon capture and storage (CCS). Technological change is crucial for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. Some of the technologies needed to achieve a low carbon society are ready to implement now, while others need further development and cost reductions. In this project, the ‘technological innovation system’ framework is applied to analyse and describe innovations in solar PV and CCS in Europe and in the United States, and to examine the barriers to and drivers of innovation; the geographic scope of each innovation system and how it affects the innovation process; and policies that support innovation and deployment. Narrower reviews of solar PV development and deployment in China and India are also included.