DOI
10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.04.109

Summary
This article is concerned with the case of Swedish biorefinery development and its innovation system strengths and weaknesses in progressing the technology. The development of advanced biorefineries has progressed slower than anticipated by a combination of economic challenges and uncertainty in policy conditions in the United States and European Union. This has been cause for a delay in transition towards a more sustainable and less carbon based economy. This study applies a technological innovation system (TIS) approach from Bergek et al., to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the front-running Swedish biorefinery system. The 7 functions as described by Bergek et al are used to reference the identified strengths and weaknesses – 1. Resource mobilisation, 2. Market formation, 3. Influence of the direction of search, 4. Entrepreneurial experimentation, 5. Formation of social capital, 6. Legitimation and 7. Knowledge development and diffusion. Methods of obtaining data included interviews (industrial companies, policymakers, and researchers), secondary data, and information obtained from workshops with TIS stakeholders. Hellsmark et al go on to describe the structure and functions of the advanced biorefinery TIS in Sweden. They report on the functioning of thermochemical and biochemical conversion of lignocellulosic biomass in Sweden which are complementary platforms for biorefining. Historical development of these industries has resulted in several system-building networks and alliances engaged in technology and process development, basic R&D, as well as developing and selling products.

 

The strengths and weaknesses in Hellsmark et al’s findings

 

Weak Functions
Resource mobilisation
Market formation




Functions of Intermediate Strength
Influence of the direction of search
Entrepreneurial experimentation
Formation of social capital
Legitimation




Strong Functions
Knowledge development and diffusion




The specifics of each particular strength and weakness in Swedish system is summarised and visually represented in figure 2 and further summarised in figure 3.

Relevance for Complex Systems Knowledge
This study is relevant to the energy systems topic and is relevant to complex systems knowledge in terms of its TIS analysis and systems thinking concepts and methods adopted for the case study. The systems approach to understanding the successes of the Swedish biorefinery industry can be utilised as a useful teaching resource on the form of a case study. The various strengths and weaknesses identified in the text could be used as reference literature for a similar stud but the summarised strengths and weaknesses in figure 2 and 3 provude a highly valuabe visual aid resource for teaching TIS approach methods or by acting as a clear example of the complex system of TIS in energy systems.

Point of Strength
The study acts as valuable case-study resource for the teaching systems thinking in terms of biorefinery development. It also offers itself as useful addition to the topic of TIS approach analysis. This study presents its findings (strengths & weaknesses) in a more clear manner than other reviewed TIS documents. The strengths and weaknesses are represented with visual aids under figure 2 and 3. The use of these visual aids is something other authors have called for in enhancing the field of TIS analysis and this acts as a perfect example