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Kreider, Principles of Solar Engineering, McGraw-Hill,New York, 1978, p 28. lSNote that in Equation (5) T o, T B, and Tf are absolute temperatures, expressed in degrees Kelvin (og To = 263K). Barriers to the adoption of an energy efficient technology Solid state electronic ballasts promise significant energy savings in the lighting systems of large buildings. However, organizational factors and standard operating procedures may inhibit the adoption of this technology in the large, bureaucratic public and pnvate sector organizations which represent the major potential users of this technology. Keywords: Energy; Efficiency; Technology adoption In this paper, we address institutional factors which may hinder widespread application of solid state electronic ballasts (SSEBs) a technology which has been developed to reduce power consumption by fluorescent light tubes. SSEBs operate fluorescent tubes at radically higher frequencies, resulting in a 20-25% reduction in electric power consumption per unit of light output, reduced heat loss, extended lamp life and other advantages. Solid state circuitry built into each light fixture permits these advantages to be realized in a decentralized, cost- effective manner. This contrasts with earlier technology which would have required a centralized conversion facility and use of a separate, high frequency electrical circuit for all high frequency lamps in a building. The realization of these advantages may be hindered because of the organi- zational attributes of major prospective buyers. Governments and large private sector organizations represent the major potential market for SSEBs. Berry and Martin assert that 'marketing research on individual consumers is extensive and the methods and prob- lems are well understood'. However, market research in which government and firms are the major adopting units, and utilities play a major role in the promotion of products, has only received recent attention from market- ing experts. In situations in which these large scale public and private bureau- cracies are involved, standard marketing techniques are less useful. Bureaucratic decision making pro- cesses 'are too varied and too complex to be easily reduced to the kinds of modeling techniques and marketing theory currently available for use'. 1 Organizational factors, standard practices and procedures, and channels of communication affect the behaviour of large complex organizations. 2 Our analysis of the attributes of potential purchasers of ballasts is based on tele- phone interviews with a sample of representative users in three categories: state officials (20), city officials (12), and industrial energy managers (13). Organizational factors State and city governments. In state governments, purchasing is often handled by individual agencies. There is usually no central purchasing agent with a mandate to ensure that energy efficient ballasts are ordered. Cities are like states in that purchasing is decentralized. Rarely are there city- wide standards for the purchase of energy efficient equipment. In one city, information is sent to departments by a central office, but departments have to be persuaded by the power of the central office's sugges- tion. The central department has no formal authority. In another city, mandatory use requirements are being considered, but they have yet to be approved by the proper political officials. In a third city, a committee composed of engineers and interested citizens has been studying central purchase agreements. In a fourth, an energy office is work- ing on a comprehensive energy plan which is being designed by a large, city- wide committee. Overall, organiza- tional arrangements to carry out a conversion to energy efficient ballasts are not in place in either state or city governments. ENERGY POLICY June 1982 157