Abstract
Can consumers innovate in complex products? A case study of user innovations in international solar boats competition provides a positive answer. Electric mobility is an emerging global market and includes shipping. It is illustrated how student teams generate know-how on photovoltaic, electric and ship building technologies entailing innovations. The performances measured by the boats’ speed during several sailing days increase faster than in the high-tech industries. The teams have created a few dozens electrotechnical and ship construction inventions, and several electrotechnical business have started. The organisation of this competition has generated net social benefit in the region where the events took place. Adoption by the vested ship building industries, however, is slow. The consumer initiatives overcome obstacles caused by high cost and quality imperfections of complex technologies and foster market creation. Consumers are a major source of high-tech innovations.
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Krozer, Y. (2016). User Innovations in Solar Power. In: Theory and Practices on Innovating for Sustainable Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18636-8_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18636-8_4
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