Abstract:
Globally, a strong transition is taking place: conventional coal-based and nuclear
energy-generating methods are being phased out as the world is advancing
towards cleaner renewable energy production, triggered by increasing awareness
of the threat of global warming and climate change. South Africa faces a major
energy crisis and is in the process of expanding its energy infrastructure. The main
challenge addressed in this study is the context of a country with a struggling
economy, a high unemployment rate and widespread poverty. Photovoltaic (PV)
energy could provide a long-term solution to the existing energy crisis, potentially
develop and enhance local economic activity and make a significant contribution to
eradicating poverty. This study investigates the strengths and potential barriers to
diffusion, influencing the growth and adoption of PV energy by applying the
Technological Innovation System (TIS) framework approach in the context of
South Africa. Every well-functioning TIS comprises system functions fulfilling
critical activities and processes that, in combination, strengthen the system. The
TIS framework approach evaluates the seven core system functions, namely
entrepreneurial activities, knowledge development, diffusion of knowledge,
guidance of the search, market formation, resource mobilisation and
advocacy/resistance to change. An exploratory case study was applied in the
context of the TIS framework to evaluate the system functions and the link
between them through an online questionnaire using a comprehensive sampling
technique. The performance of each system function was measured using a Likert
scale, whereafter the system functions were mapped graphically in order to
compare their performance to one another. The extent of development of the PV
infrastructure was determined by evaluating the system functions according to
specific indicators relating to each function. The system functions were then
mapped graphically, to indicate that the best performing functions had been
calculated to be the resource mobilisation function and the market formulating
function, and the worst performing functions the entrepreneurial activities function
and the knowledge development function. The overall result achieved by the
analysis was unsatisfactory, indicating the presence of barriers limiting the
development and growth of the PV industry. Some of the most important barriers
were found to be lack of funding, lack of knowledge, insufficient influence of the
role of government and regulatory organisations, insufficient knowledge
development, insufficient guidance, lack of advocacy and lobbying in promoting
PV and insufficient knowledge shared through collaboration and networks. The
study was concluded by suggesting policies targeted at removing the barriers.
