Testing technological tableaux: actor coalitions in hydrogen and fuel cell development

This paper describes the dynamics between the energy industry, car industry and public policy using the case of fuel-cell development activities as a pivotal point. The paper seeks to illustrate the dynamics of early phase concept development, where the concept itself is tested while not knowing if the concept is feasible: production-wise, technically, nor if there is a market for it. Thus, in relation the analytical framework proposed by Boyers and Freyssenet, concept development of this kind has a local, company specific style, but also an important relationship to the active policy-framing of cars and transport. In the policy field, demonstrations are important as they give life and reality to different technological visions (Dierkes), such as Hydrogen Economy and where demonstration sites are parts of different actor coalitions that try to realise such visions.