A RESEARCH AGENDA FOR EMERGING SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: A ROADMAP FOR SOUTH AFRICA

摘要

The world is facing enormous challenges in sourcing enough energy to sustain its growing economic and social demands. The challenge is further exasperated by climate change. New policies and strategies are thus required. To this end, globally, technology options that exploit solar energy resources are considered to be important options to address the challenge. Subsequently, mere are many international activities to introduce new solar technologies in various markets. In developing countries, economic and social contexts demand that additional aspects be considered in policy and strategy developments. This paper investigates the solar technology options for the South African context and proposes a research agenda for appropriate emerging solar technologies. As a developing country, advanced solar technologies will initially be transferred from foreign countries for the localization and adaption of the technologies to take place. Appropriate research and development programmes will be required to support the localization efforts. In order to determine the research agenda for the localization programmes, a solar technology roadmap was developed as part of a broader national solar energy technology strategy. The analyses mat supported the development of the roadmap included: (i) the categorisation of the different solar technology systems in terms of appropriateness for different applications, (ii) analyses of the market readiness of the different technological systems based on current international advances in the systems, and (iii) strength, weakness, opportunity and threat analyses from a national system of innovation perspective. Appropriate research and development requirements were identified, which were further analysed in terms of three dimensions, namely: government intensity (economic growth, industry development, employment creation, energy security and climate change); industry intensity (technology platforms, local supply chain, export potential of products and technologies and knowledge); and R&D intensity (available capacity and resources). The results of the analyses are presented in terms of five and ten year time horizons.