Knowledge networks to improve the technological capability in a solar energy enterprise cluster

Abstract

The sector of renewable energies is studied for the possibilities that offers to take care of the environmental and energy save. In the production areas, it is need to understand some topics like the technological capability and absorption capacity, to identify the patterns of learning, to improve the knowledge generation, innovation and competitiveness. This is applied specifically in the cases of small enterprises that belong to an incipient cluster, in a region with availability of solar energy resources, like Arequipa in the south-west of Peru. In this context it's developed a study to identify the technological capability and learning aspects, for a solar enterprise cluster acting in Arequipa. The methodology is the case study, through applying a questionnaire to seven enterprises. The questionnaire was formulated according the theoretical backgrounds regarding to this theme. The results of the research are useful to planning the local development through the application of tools as the technological surveillance, technological forecasting, and also for the local technology improvement through the incentive of knowledge networks.