Diffusion of Clean Technologies

Abstract

How can the diffusion clean technologies be accelerated?Participants learn to apply analytic tools to understand environmental and business potentials of clean technologies. Exercises that evaluate a clean technology selected by the student themselves deepen the theoretical knowledge gained. Students are trained to evaluate, explain and pitch a clean technology.

Objective

After completing this course: ... 1) Students are able to apply the theoretical concepts explaining the performance and diffusion of clean technologies* 2) Students can determine key drivers and barriers (economic, environmental, technological, regulatory) for the diffusion of clean technologies* 3) Students know how to quantitatively model key characteristics or dynamics of selected clean technologies* 4) Students are prepared to convincingly present a selected clean technology* to a business or policy audience *In 2021 we will focus on the 1000+ solutions to protect the environment identified by https://solarimpulse.com . Accordingly we will also invite a guest speaker from Solar Impulse Foundation and students will contribute to the assessment of these solutions.

Content

We face a climate and sustainability crisis which requires a fundamental shift to a truly environmentally friendly economy. A key contribution stems from an accelerated development and application of clean technologies such as technologies harnessing renewable energies, enabling increasing energy efficiency or event resulting in negative emission. The goal of this course is to better understand how we can accelerate the diffusion of clean technologies. Students are enabled to answer critical questions such as: What are barriers hindering the diffusion of a certain clean technology? How can we overcome these barriers and drive the diffusion of clean technologies? The lecture can be divided into four parts: 1. Input on a conceptual basis: Overview on key frameworks and theories for assessing the environmental and economic performance of clean technologies as well as their resulting diffusion. This part will be provided as input by the lecturers and discussed in class. 2. Assessment of selected clean technologies: Students select out of a long list of clean technologies a technology to assess in more detail. For this technology, the concepts learned in part 1 are applied. Assessments are peer-reviewed and discussed. 3. Modeling of diffusion: Students will develop a simplified model for the diffusion of selected clean technology to better understand the dynamics of diffusion and modeling technological behavior. 4. Presenting clean technologies: To conclude students will learn how to pitch their technology assessment to a business or policy audience since this is a crucial part for enabling technology diffusion. These inspiring presentations form the basis for a final class discussion on selected clean technologies and applied concepts. The list of concepts, tools and techniques applied and discussed in this lecture includes: Analytical tools to assess the environmental performance of clean technologies (e.g. Life Cycle-Assessment); economic view on the diffusion of clean technologies; evolutionary perspective (e.g. technological learning); decision process of adopters (e.g. status-quo bias of consumers, rebound effect); relevant environmental policies (e.g. standards, labels, carbon pricing); modeling approaches for diffusion of clean technologies (e.g. agent-based modeling); techniques for convincing presentations (e.g. TED-style presentation).

Resources