The innovation system for diffusion of small wind in Kenya: Strong, weak or absent? A technological innovation system analysis

Learning from global suppliers: the diffusion of small wind in low- and middle-income countries

“…In such situations, decentralised electricity generation based on renewable energy sources holds a big potential for improving the access rates through increased off-grid provision of electricity. Poor urban populations may also benefit from small-scale renewable energy systems, however, not least where prices of grid-related electricity are prohibitively high (Wandera, 2020).…”

“…In terms of leapfrogging, the global nature of technology development provides a good opportunity to learn from successes and failures in other countries (IPCC, 2014), although there are also many obstacles to successful use of these in new contexts. Lessons for small wind technology are available from, e.g., China and India (Wandera, 2020) and show that both policy interventions and interactive learning have been key in the development of small wind in these countries. In China, for instance, the development of local content laws and provision of support has been instrumental in the successful diffusion of small wind.…”

“…This lack of awareness affects all levels from policy makers, who lack the capabilities to identify appropriate sites for promoting the technology, to local technology suppliers inadequately versed with site selection, installation and maintenance (Leary et al, 2019) and to local communities. Furthermore, experience from Kenya has demonstrated that the small wind equipment produced by informal manufacturers is not up to the required standard and this has contributed to low confidence in small wind technology (Wandera, 2020).…”

Examining the Role of Regulation in the Commercialisation of Indigenous Innovation in Sub-Saharan African Economies: Evidence from the Ghanaian Small-Scale Industry

“…Promoting Indigenous Innovation in Africa Due to the strong linkage between innovation and development, scholars continue to call for African countries to develop their indigenous innovation systems to support and sustain their development agenda (Feige and Vonortas 2017;Botchie et al 2017). In the context of the study, indigenous innovations include modernisation and use of indigenous resources, indigenous practices, and indigenous knowledge, as well as the creation of domestic standards that reduce the burden of paying royalties and other fees to foreign economies (Wachinga 2019;Wandera 2021). Indigenous innovations are distinguished from foreign innovations because they originate from and/or are owned by indigenes, as opposed to foreign innovations, which are developments in high-tech industries and forefront technologies resulting from inward foreign direct investment (FDI) (Edler and Fagerberg 2017).…”