Abstract
The German photovoltaic cluster is a prime example of a rapidly grown cluster driven by Feed-in Tariffs (FiTs) and special funding programmes. The cluster was helped by cross-fertilisation and mobility between chemical and semi-conductor industry clusters in the region, and a strong regional tradition of mechanical engineering as well as a strong R&D culture. Stakeholder interviews and survey perceptions provided particular insights into the external threat of increasing competition from China, as cheap imports threatened local production, and some companies started migrating to low labour-cost countries, taking with them cutting edge know-how developed in the German cluster. This external threat coincided with an internal threat from the rapid reduction in FiTs, which disproportionately penalised those SMEs at the forefront of innovation. Managers felt that they did not have the necessary influence with policymakers to make the rapid and radical changes required to sustain SMEs, and to facilitate faster innovation in response to the external threat. This chapter outlines this and other perceived barriers to the development of the cluster, and their implications.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft (BSW). https://www.solarwirtschaft.de/en/start/english-news.html
Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft (2012) Statistische Zahlen der deutschen Solarstrombranche (Photovoltaik). https://www.solarwirtschaft.de/fileadmin/media/pdf/bsw_solar_fakten_pv.pdf. Accessed 8 Nov 2016
Endlich: Degressive Photovoltaik-Vergütung im EEG. http://www.biogasrat.de/index.php/mitglieder-news/124-degressive-photovoltaikverguetung-im-eeg. Source BMU. Accessed 12 Nov 2014
EPIA (2012) http://www.epia.org/news/publications/ (No longer available)
EU Recommendation 2003/36. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32003H0361. Accessed 8 Dec 2016
Fraunhofer ISE. http://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en?set_language=en
Georgi D (2008) Standortmarketing für die Region Sachsen. Entwicklung transregionaler Cluster-Strategien innerhalb der EU auf dem Photovoltaik-Sektor – am Beispiel von Sachsen und Italien. Unpublished Diploma Dissertation, Zwickau University of Applied Sciences, Saxony. Available on: request. (A practice-based study generated within the research project “Trans-regional Research Partnerships in Renewable Energy” (2007–2015)
Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI) (2009) Forschungs-und Entwicklungseinrichtungen (auf dem PV Sektor) in Deutschland (Online version no longer available)
Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI) (2010) Industry overview: the photovoltaic market in Germany. Germany Trade and Invest (Online version no longer available)
Granovetter M (2005) The impact of social structure on economic outcomes. J Econ Perspect 19 (Winter):33–50
Granovetter M, Swedberg R (2011) The sociology of economic life, 3rd edn. Westview Press, Boulder, CO
Morosini P (2004) Industrial clusters, knowledge integration and performance. World Dev J 32(2):305–326
OnlineSteuerRecht (2010) Solaranlage & Photovoltaik. Welche Vergütung wird seit dem 1. Oktober 2010 gewährt? http://www.onlinesteuerrecht.de/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=395&Itemid=153. Accessed 8 Aug 2016
Ruhl V, Lütter F, Schmidt C, Wackerbauer J, Triebswetter U (2008) Standortgutachten Photovoltaik in Deutschland. EuPD&ifo, Bonn
Scheller J (2013) Qualitative Befragung von Stakeholdern zur Clusterentwicklung – eine Analyse wahrgenommener Chancen und Barrieren am Beispiel des Mitteldeutschen Photovoltaik-Clusters. Unpublished BA Dissertation, Zwickau University of Applied Sciences, Saxony. Available on: request. (A practice-based study generated within the research project “Trans-regional Research Partnerships in Renewable Energy” (2007–2015)
Solar Valley Mitteldeutschland. http://www.solarvalley.org/home?lang=en
Umweltinvestmentfonds (2010) Photovoltaik-Rekordzubau 2010. http://www.umweltinvestmentfonds.de/news/101102_photovoltaik_marktdaten_zubau_2010_eeg.html. Accessed 8 Aug 2016
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Jaegersberg, G., Ure, J. (2017). The German Case: A Cluster Under Threat. In: Renewable Energy Clusters. Innovation, Technology, and Knowledge Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50365-3_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50365-3_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-50363-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-50365-3
eBook Packages: Business and ManagementBusiness and Management (R0)