New Wave Technologies: Their Emergence, Diffusion and Impact. The Case of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology and the Developing World

The application of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology within the automotive industry is turning into reality what was until quite recently a utopian vision. The use of hydrogen as a fuel source is the latest advance in the so-called new wave technologies - earlier technological waves were the development of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and biotechnology. The paper sketches out the main developments that have taken place in the race among the world's largest car manufacturers to develop hydrogen fuelled cells as an alternative to conventional fuels. As with earlier technologies, however, the successful introduction of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles raises the specter of an even broader technological divide between North and South. The paper argues that developing countries need to start positioning themselves now to 'catch up' with these developments by investing in research, training and the building of strategic alliances and knowledge networks