Knowledge Management and Transfer for Microenergy Systems - Crossing Borders Worldwide
General Information and Introduction
This is the documentation of a session block at the Micro Perspectives for Decentralized Energy Supply 2013, International Conference, Feb. 27 - Mar. 1, 2013
In cooperation with:
Energypedia
Session facilitator:
Jonas van der Straeten, Postgraduate Program Microenergy Systems
Introduction
During the management and transfer of knowledge between diverse groups, such as academics and practicitioners, the North and South, enterprises and investors, companies and clients, and even between diverse academic disciplines, one must find a means to understanding. <o:p></o:p>
Multi-stakeholder interaction requires bridging communication borders with diverse methods and tools that either translate or determine common languages, and eventually turn theory into practice.
Challenges
Like many other processes, knowledge management and transfer is plagued with a myriad of challenges. The most basic that will be touched on in this workshop include the lack of incentives, even knowledge and communication that are foundational to communication capacities. Other challenges ranges from competition for, and confidentiality of information shared. Lastly, there is always the challenge in discerning what information is most pertinent to whom. <o:p></o:p>
Strategies
In developing communication channels and tools, is the need for strategies. Understanding what and where the right forums are for knowledge management transfer can help agents differentiate between explicit and implicit knowledge. Strategies may also help motivate practitioners and academics to contribute to knowledge sharing.<o:p></o:p>
Sessions
1)Debajit Palit, The Energy & Resources Institute, New Delhi, India
Two multi-stakeholder projects are most relevant to this session. They demonstrate micro energy systems that are closer linked to communities at a local level.
Offgrid Access System in South Asia (OASYS)
OASYS introduced business models for decentralized off-grid electricity generation in developing countries. OASYS started in 2009, with the motivation of researching technical aspects and general cost-effectiveness. The research firstly discovered to main knowledge gaps:
a.Lack of knowledge regarding Business Models and institutional arrangements for delivery
b.Limited or lack of experience in project scale-up and project sustainability
Research Questions
As a result, two questions arose to explore criteria relevant to the aforementioned knowledge gaps:
1)‘Are there cost-effective and reliable off-grid electricity supply solutions that can meet the present & future needs, are socially acceptable, institutionally viable and environmentally desirable?’
2)‘Do these local solutions have the scaling-up and replication potentials and can these solutions be brought to the mainstream for wider electricity access in the developing world?”
Geographical Scope & Analysis Dimensions
To help guide and direct the research, the geographical area of South Asia was decided as the region to apply a multi-dimensional analysis strategy. Since roughly half of all people without access to electricity are found in South Asia, in addition to the region housing some of the best examples of decentralized energy, it was determined as the most suitable geographical scope of the project. Elements in the multi-dimensional analysis include four angles of focus: techno-economic analysis, governance mechanisms, socio-political dimension, as well as environmental aspects. Also, four cross-cutting themes were defined through the research: capacity building, cross-referencing, cross-learning, dissemination for policy translation.
Research Team & Partners
The research team included partners from the United Kingdom as well as India:
•University of Dundee/De Montfort University
•School of Environment & Development, Manchester University
•Edinburgh Napier University
•The Energy and Resources Institute
•TERI University
•UK Research Council
•DFID
Research Objectives
The objective of the research and its activities was to transfer successful examples to new places. In addition to the comparative study of grid versus off-grid electrification processes as well as South Asian versus international regional, the research also tried to review existing projects and programs through literature reviews of roughly 100 research papers. The process was time consuming and difficult, but necessary to establish good base knowledge. A technologically independent framework was also developed as part of the research, as context resources determined the existence and feasibility to implement technology. Throughout the process, the cooperation between practitioners as well as academics was also emphasized.
2)Energising Development (EnDev), Challenges of Knowledge Management, Gunnar Wegner, GIZ
This second presentation introduces an impact oriented initiative that includes partners from the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Australia, the United Kingdom and Switzerland. Since 2005, 18 beneficiary countries include 18 countries in Africa, Latin America, and Asia have received funds in annual funding competitions. The project also includes a monitoring system to track the mid- to long-term success of implemented projects.
Successes and Barriers to Knowledge Management & Transfer
‘Wait, I have it somewhere in my mailbox’
Three important aspects constitute successful knowledge management and transfer within this initiative. The first of which focuses on connections and networks that have had previous successes. These connections and networks quite often lie close to home ‘somewhere in my mailbox’ and should be passed on or shared. The challenge specific to this aspect is the inbox pile-up that helps us to forget the connections as well as who and how we should share them.
‘The lightening-struck inverter’
The second aspect illustrates the value in communicating all information. A case example based on the decision of field technicians in Senegal who chose not to communicate how a mini grid inverter was struck by lightening and as a result was out of commission for two weeks. Since the technicians did not consider the information pertinent, and were also not excited to deliver the bad news, they decided it was better to delay transferring informationThe result was a directive and communication workshops that focused on discussing both good and bad information with the aim to increase efficiency and effectiveness in delivering results.
‘EnDev’s next super failure’
In this last example from Peru, the ineffective implementation of solar panels in overgrown fields served as the information that was not managed or transfer. Again, a refocusing on a positive setting to discuss all aspects of projects including worst mistakes was made to provide incentives for a team to talk through problems as oppose to punishment. There is also additional emphasis on the shared benefits gained by the entire organization in discussing and problem solving internal failures.
Challenges
For the GIZ, knowledge is the product and service provided and not material object as with a manufacturing firm. This includes the management and transfer of knowledge regarding what is and is not successful in the field. Accompanying this is the storage and sharing of knowledge collected. Up until recently, this was a major challenge as the expertise would often be out in the field or occupied and unavailable. However, with a new information management system that uses a wiki, access to documenting knowledge, reviewing, editing, and sharing is now available to anyone. Not only is there an opportunity for comprehensive collection and storage of information, the collaborative process allows for planning, and also management of info through areas that are restricted or open to public access. The challenge is incorporating the information management system into daily routines, and also facilitating the use of the tool for users who are not adept with technology.
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