Assessment of Disruptive Innovation in Emerging Energy Technologies

The concept of "disruptive innovation" offers a basis for understanding the structure and dynamics of technology-driven markets, and how they respond to emerging technologies. The concept may also prove useful in assessing the relative prospects for research and development in related fields, such as nuclear, renewable or other energy technologies. A trial assessment was performed on the potential for innovations to disrupt energy markets. Consumer-level photovoltaic power in areas with high insolation was found to be the most potentially disruptive innovation in energy technology, possibly enabled by advances in electrochemical energy storage battery technology. Such findings could provide useful input to strategies for energy technology development. Quantitative measures of comparison are necessary, and gaps in technology coverage weaken the assessment. Formal methods to identify and assess innovations are being developed.