Presented at Nordic Green II conference, April 2010

1. Why Nordic Green?
Complementary Advantages
between
California and the Nordic Region
during the
Energy Transformation
Niels Christian Nielsen
April 27 2010
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2. A System Transformation
 From High Carbon, Low Efficiency Systems
 To Low Carbon, High Efficiency Systems
This imposes very different innovation imperatives,
challenges, opportunities and risks
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3. The Global Crises:
Escalating, Complex, and Interconnected
Financial Crisis
Security Crisis Global Warming
Resource Crisis Food Crisis
Social Crisis Health Crisis
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4. A Wide Array of Opportunities and Technologies
 Energy production and efficiency
 Energy distribution and storage
 Energy use and conservation
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5. Choices are radicalized by the systemic challenge
 Improve on components, but the context might be
gone
 Stand-alone will not make it, but from where come the
complementary solution sets (social innovation)
 The bets are larger, but success criteria harder to
define
 Until the tipping point: Default is to optimize within the
Old System
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6. During this Transformation the US and the Nordic Region
have distinct and complementary advantages
 Demand Driven Innovation – Nordic is leader, the US
is laggard
 Technology Driven Innovation – the US is reaching for
its potential to become undisputed leader
 Social (systemic) Innovation – since 1980 a troubling
US weakness; much easier in the Nordic Region
 Only China seems poised to span all three
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7. Competitive Dynamics
Quantity Quality
Knowledge/
Supply Cost
Technology
Quality
Demand Market
of User
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8. Types of Innovation
Innovation Is a Multi-Dimensional Phenomenon
Tech
Cost Competition Design Market User Employee
R&D
Innovation Innovation Driver
Area
Process
Product
Service
Delivery
Business
Model
Social
 Incremental
 Step-function
 Disruptive
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9. The Arbitrage Opportunity is Tangible and Large
WELCOME
to Nordic Green II
I believe you will see the opportunities come to life!
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