TRIPLE HELIX noms.pmd

O-129The Norwegian solar photovoltaic industryAntje Klitkou, Helge God, NIFU STEP Norwegian Institute For Studies In Innovation, Research And Education, Oslo, NorwayIntroductionThe paper will address the development of interactions between key actors in the Norwegian solar photovoltaic industry and theNorwegian research system taking the triple helix perspective as a starting point. The paper will address different types of policyinstruments to strengthen the interaction of the solar photovoltaic industry in Norway and research organisations.State of the artEtzkowitz and Klofsten applied the triple helix model on the analysis of the innovative region around Linköping in Sweden(2005), highlighting the three main elements of the triple helix model: the role of the entrepreneurial university, collaborativerelationships between universities, firms and government and that each institutional sphere also takes roles of the other twospheres. Cooke has a slightly different approach when analysing regional innovation systems in a global context (Cooke 2005).He criticised the triple helix model that it would overlook the asymmetric knowledge problem and only concentrate on the bestcases for regional interaction, such as MIT for example. Narula analysed industry development in Norway at a national level,dividing the Norwegian industry in two groups, the group of traditional industries and firms formerly protected by the government,and the group of specialised and technology-intensive firms (Narula 2002). Narula argued that lock-in may occur in a regionwhere firms with a particular technological specialisation exist and persist and a whole industry cluster can be locked-in to aspecific technological paradigm.Research focusThe papers will focus on collaboration between firms in the Norwegian solar cell industry and Norwegian research organisationsfacilitated by different types of government interventions. We analyse the importance of interaction between firms, universities,research institutes and governmental policy for the further development of the Norwegian solar photovoltaic industry.Especially the new funding schemes of the Research Council of Norway (RCN) will be explored, such as the User-drivenresearch based innovation (BIA) and the Centres for Environment-friendly Energy Research (FME) will be explored. Bothschemes have a long-term perspective giving funding up to 5 years (BIA) and 8 years (FMEs).1. The BIA scheme was introduced in 2006. BIA projects are supplementary to thematic programmes and have the firms’ ownstrategies in focus, such as capacity building and potentials for increased value added.2. The FME scheme was introduced in 2009, and one of the FME centres is promoting Solar photovoltaics. It has the goal togive the Norwegian photovoltaic industry access to world leading technology and scientific expertise. It is concentrating themost important firms and research groups specialised in solar photovoltaics.MethodologyWe use three different data sources:• Qualitative analysis of interviews with researchers and experts involved in recent projects co-funded by industry and the RCN;• Document analysis;• Quantitative analysis of project portfolio of the Research Council of Norway on solar photovoltaics (1996-2009).We explore the development of funding by the RCN, technology specialisation, main firms and research organisations (universities/research institutes) and in what degree they are collaborating, regional agglomerations/clusters, and international collaborationpatterns.FindingsWe have identified 71 projects funded by RCN between 1996 and 2009. There can be observed an increasing diversity of actors:In the start of the period were only two firms active in the field, while now there are 19 firms (including subsidiaries). They applydifferent technology approaches for improved silicon based wafers and develop a more horizontal diversity, but less a verticaldiversity in the value chain. Norwegian firms function as suppliers of wafers for international photovoltaic module producers, butthere are also new segments in the industry specialised in – repowering and upgrading of degraded solar cells. The mostimportant firms have also international networks where they are active in different parts of the value chain, such as the RECGroup. The most central industry players with more than 10 projects each are REC and Elkem. They are engaged in a largevariety of projects aiming at new technology development and capacity building in Norwegian universities and research institutes.Some Norwegian research institutes are especially engaged in solar photovoltaics, such as the Institute for energy technology(10 projects) and Sintef Materials and Chemistry (3 projects). A newcomer is NORUT in Northern Norway. Sintef is very close tothe NTNU (3), one of the most active universities beside the University of Oslo (4), but the universities have different specialisationprofiles.Madrid, October 20, 21 & 22 - 2010180