Effects of under-development and oil-dependency of countries on the formation of renewable energy technologies: A comparative study of hydrogen and fuel cell technology development in Iran and the Netherlands

Countries face many problems for the development of renewable energy technologies. However these problems are not the same for different countries. This paper provides insight into the development of Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (HFCT) in Iran (1993–2010), as an alternative for increasing sustainability of energy system in long-term. This is done by applying the Technological Innovation System (TIS) approach and studying the structure and dynamics of seven key processes that affect the formation of HFCT TIS. Thereafter, the pattern of HFCT development in Iran is compared with the Netherlands, using a multi-level perspective. Then, it is shown that under-development and oil-dependency, which are two macro-economic factors at landscape level, can explain the main differences between these countries at regime and niche levels. This means that macro-economic factors cause Iran and the Netherlands to experience different ways for the development of HFCT.