Title: Diffusion of low carbon innovation among Indian foundries: lessons from the improved divided blast cupola

Authors: Nonita T. Yap; Geeta Vaidyanathan; Prosanto Pal; Girish Sethi; Veena Joshi

Addresses: School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada ' School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada ' The Energy and Resources Institute, Darbari Seth Block, IHC Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110003, India ' The Energy and Resources Institute, Darbari Seth Block, IHC Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110003, India ' L 801, Trillium, Magarpatta City, Hadapsar, Pune 411028, Maharashtra, India

Abstract: India's foundry industry is an important source of export earnings and among its biggest generators of employment. Energy consumption contributes 12-15% of total production cost, making energy efficiency innovations critical for a foundry's profitability. Pressure for cleaner and energy efficiency innovations emerged in the early 90s following successful public litigation over acid and particulate emissions of foundry operations. Limits on suspended particulate matter had been set in the 80s but not systematically enforced. This paper examines the factors contributing to the favourable rate of diffusion of an improved divided blast cupola among India's small and medium foundries from 1994 to 2013. The findings suggest that diffusion of innovation programs need to be framed within the decision process of the firm. Programs need to be designed in terms of what that can trigger the firm's decision process and nudge it from problem recognition to adoption.

Keywords: innovation diffusion; divided blast cupola; low carbon innovation; energy efficiency gap; India; foundries; open innovation; foundry industry.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISD.2016.077506

International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, 2016 Vol.10 No.3, pp.281 - 299

Received: 24 Feb 2015
Accepted: 02 Sep 2015

Published online: 04 Jul 2016 *

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