Product–Service System applied to Distributed Renewable Energy: A classification system, 15 archetypal models and a strategic design tool (original) (raw)

2016

Access to modern energy services represents a great challenge for about 1.4 billion people living in low and middle income contexts. This paper discusses the combination of Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) with Product Service Systems (PSS) business models, an approach that is considered promising to deliver sustainable energy solutions in these contexts. This paper aims at filling the knowledge gap regarding the combination of these two models. In particular it puts forward a comprehensive classification able to encompass all the most important dimensions characterising PSS applied to DRE, and identifies 15 archetypal models of PSS applied to DRE. This new classification system and the related archetypal models have been tested and evaluated with companies and experts from Botswana and South Africa, showing their potential to be used as a strategic design tool to support innovation in this field.

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Designing Sustainable Energy for All: Sustainable Product-Service System Design Applied to Distributed Renewable Energy

2018

This open access book addresses the issue of diffusing sustainable energy access in low- and middle-income contexts. Access to energy is one of the greatest challenges for many people living in low- income and developing contexts, as around 1.4 billion people lack access to electricity. Distributed Renewable Energy systems (DRE) are considered a promising approach to address this challenge and provide energy access to all. However, even if promising, the implementation of DRE systems is not always straightforward. The book analyses, discusses and classifies the promising Sustainable Product-Service System (S.PSS) business models to deliver Distributed Renewable Energy systems in an effective, efficient and sustainable way. Its message is supported with cases studies and examples, discussing the economic, environmental and socioethical benefits as well as its limitations and barriers to its implementation. An innovative design approach is proposed and a set of design tools are suppli...

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Sustainable Product-Service System Design applied to Distributed Renewable Energy: Fostering the goal of sustainable energy for all

2015

Energy is a fundamental imperative to the quest for sustainable development. The current challenge is to provide sustainable energy solutions for all, while concomitantly increasing the access to energy and improving usage efficiency. Within this perspective, education in design in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) must increasingly equip design students with a broad knowledge base, as well as effective methods and tools so that new generations of designers (and design educators) can play more effective roles in the development and diffusion of sustainable energy systems. This is the ambition of the Learning Network on Sustainable Energy Systems (LeNSes) project – an African-European multi-polar network for curricula development on SustainableProduct-Service System (S.PSS) design applied to Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE). The research hypothesis of the LeNSes project is that S.PSS can be effectively applied to DRE, representing a promising opportunity to obtain synergies among the economic, environmental, and socio-ethical dimensions.

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Product-Service System Design Approach for the Base of the Pyramid Markets: Practical Evidence from the Energy Sector in the Brazilian Context

In Emerging Markets, the product-service system (PSS) design approach may represent a promising solution as a socially and environmentally sound path to economic development. In addition, the energy sector has a major role in the social-economic development and is central to poverty alleviation. Therefore, this study aims to analyse the challenges of increasing the well-being of the low-income population (BoP) by means of proposing functional systems of products and services for the energy sector with an emphasis on achieving more sustainable results. The research adopts an exploratory approach, qualitative in nature and composed of two main stages: literature review and theoretical analysis of examples. As a result, this research outlines the potentialities of design product-services systems for BoP Markets.

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