LEARNING AND INNOVATION IN THE RENEWABLE ENERGY INDUSTRIES IN ARGENTINA: MARKET, TECHNOLOGY, ORGANIZATION, AND INSTITUTIONS

Abstract

Energy transition is an unavoidable process for developing countries, that calls into debate the balance between energy security, social equity, environmental sustainability, and techno-productive development. This last aspect raises the possibility of transforming this process into a space of opportunity for the development of new technological capabilities associated with the generation of energy from renewable sources, improving competitiveness and making the productive structure ofthese countries more complex. The evolutionary and neo-Schumpeterian economic literatures revive the debate on the role of natural resource-based industries in economic development. Based on this approach, the article aims to delve into the innovative dynamics of these industries and the market, organizational, institutional, and technological conditions that delimit it. Through the review of various secondary data sources, the article analyzes four case studies corresponding to the biogas, biodiesel, wind energy and low-emission hydrogen production industries in Argentina. It is observed that none of these conditions alone is sufficient to promote learning and innovation spaces, so it is necessary to consider their multiple interactions and the heterogeneity they present between industries to design an energy transition that prioritizes techno-productive development. In addition, the presence of innovations in these industries does not necessarily imply the development of technological capabilities, so questions persist about the conditions that enable learning and innovation processes.

Keywords

• energy transition
• energy quadrilemma
• technological change
• hydrogen
• biodiesel
• wind energy
• biogas