Chapter 7: A Generic Assessment of Response Options
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7.7. Regional Differences an d International Cooperation
(...) The literature on the adoption and diffusion of technology clearly indicates that while profitability is probably the most straightforward determinant of the adoption of a new idea, a new technology, or new equipment, various other factors may also he important. A review o\' recent research into the diffusion of energy technologies in developing countries shows that there are many financial, institutional, and other factors that influence the successful adoption of these technologies (Barnett. 1990; Ghai, 1994). In Africa, for example, social resistance has impeded the diffusion of drought-tolerant crop varieties, and such resistance could also inhibit the adoption of new energy technologies. Often the initial awareness of benefits and new opportunities may be contingent on such factors as winning the support of women for more energy-efficient cooking stoves.
Moreover, one necessary ingredient for the adoption of new technology, namely a pool of local skills to draw on, may be lacking or inadequate in many cases, so that even proven technologies may spread rather slowly in these countries. For all these reasons an adequate and timely process of energy efficiency institution building seems imperative, especially in developing countries. There is evidence that the existence of such separate institutions has helped Indonesia, South Korea, and Thailand, for instance, make greater headway in the scope and coverage of their energy efficiency policies and programmes (Byrne et al., 1991).
