IEA-PVPS releases guide for applying innovation system approach to BIPV

IEA-PVPS has published a new handbook that provides support for Technological Innovation System (TIS) analysis for building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV).

IEA-PVPS has published a new guidebook to standardize Technological Innovation System (TIS) analysis across different countries for BIPV.

The TIS approach is used to investigate new technological fields and industries in and beyond the context of sustainability transitions. It seeks to understand the dynamics of an innovation ecosystem surrounding d a specific technology and is often used to identify shortcomings and define recommendations for the design of policies in support of a specific technology.

“This Guide for Technological Innovation System (TIS) Analysis BIPV offers hands-on support on theory and methods for those who want to analyze the innovation system for BIPV in their country,” the organization said. “This document can also be used as a template for a final TIS-analysis report – using the same (sub-)chapters, tables, and graphs.”

The handbook presents the rating of the performance of eight functions of the TIS related to BIPV, on a scale of one to five. The functions mentioned are knowledge development, knowledge dissemination, entrepreneurial experimentation, resource mobilization, development of social capital, legitimation, guidance of the search and market formation.

The authors of the report also provided indicators and assessment questions to better produce a well-argued paper. In addition, the report assists the users with setting country-wide targets for the development of BIPV, and also helps them formulate recommendations for overcoming issues, targeting both policymakers and industry actors.

“For those functions that are not fulfilling the target requirements, guidance is given on how to identify systemic problems that either relate to actors, institutions, interaction between actors, or infrastructural deficits,” the report notes.

The report also offers guidance on how to define BIPV correctly, how to analyze historical and technological information, and how to conduct a structural analysis of the specific target country. In addition, it looks at the available technical and knowledge solutions in the relevant market, from early concept development to a fully mature market.