Selecting and assessing demonstration projects for technology assessment: The cases of fuel cells and hydrogen systems in Sweden

Abstract

SummaryThe present technological trajectories in many sectors are not sustainable. A range of policy instruments is needed to foster radically new and environmentally superior technologies. Support of demonstration projects is a standard instrument in early phases of the technology life-cycle. However, the role demonstration projects play and could play for the development and adoption of emerging technologies has been the subject of few studies. Here we try to ident6 some criteria for selecting and assessing demonstration projects. We stress that they could have an important role to play not only for technical development but also for market creation and network formation. We pay some extra attention to the role of environmental assessments and make some initial observations of how our framework could be applied to the area of fuel cells and hydrogen supply system.