ABSTRACT
As highlighted by the BEE case studies, more particularly by the standards and labelling programme, the achievement of large-scale deployment is substantially aided by well-designed outreach efforts that seek to inform and influence public/consumer opinion about the technologies or the programme itself. Moreover, ‘branding’ in itself is an important tool for gaining traction in the market as illustrated by the Star Ratings programme of the BEE. In conjunction with information provision, for facilitating early introduction of technologies, efforts for ‘market creation’ have proved to be valuable tools. A gradual nature of intervention (with voluntary schemes being ratcheted to binding standards) provides the consumer with a power of informed choice while signalling to the manufacturers to invest and improve upon appropriate technologies, thus building requisite technological and manufacturing capabilities. This simultaneous focus on supply-side and demand-side elements has been a key to success in BEE’s programmes.
