Explaining the Lack of Dynamics in the Diffusion of Small Stationary Fuel Cells

2. Methodology

The analysis starts with the description of the interdisciplinary methodology of technology assessment applied to the case of fuel cell-based energy innovations. This approach is driven by the question why fuel cell technology is entering contemporary systems of stationary electricity and heat production so slowly—despite its potential for energy efficiency—which is clearly an interdisciplinary one. As explained in this chapter, related obstacles turn out to be economic, technological, and legal problems. These barriers have to be overcome in order to improve the environmental quality of future energy supply by introducing fuel cell-based systems, among other environment friendly options. Finally, appropriate and reliable solutions are to be worked out with respect to the relevant levels of political decision making and acting, thus enabling their implementation.

Following this outline, the core disciplines are: engineering, economics and jurisprudence. They should be complemented by sound competences covering necessary sustainability issues and related policy aspects as well as profound experience in Technology Assessment (TA). The latter is indispensable because interdisciplinary work requires specific methods and structures which will improve appropriate integration of the above-mentioned disciplines (Decker & Grunwald, 2001). The successful integration promises additional cognitive and practical benefits for the excellence and meaningfulness of the interdisciplinary effort instead of merely adding disciplinary views as a whole with low coherence and possibly inconsistent results.