Gartner Hype Cycle Approach : Understanding the Technology Adoption Dilemma in Energy Transition

Energy Transition is all about the adoption of suitable green technologies in the business space of the power sector that can act as a substitute for fossil base generation technologies in a cost-effective manner. Apart from solar PV and wind, the majority of technologies are in different phases of development where the need for efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective energy storage solutions is in prime focus.

The dilemma before utilities in the adoption of energy storage technologies may be explained very well by the Gartner Hype Cycle, which helps understand the real risks and opportunities of innovation so that utilities can avoid adopting something too early, giving up too soon, adopting too late, or hanging on too long. Every Hype Cycle includes five phases:

Phase 1: The innovation trigger starts when an event, like a technological breakthrough or a product launch, gets people talking.

Phase 2: The peak of inflated expectations is when product usage increases, but there’s still more hype than proof that the innovation can deliver what you need.

Phase 3: The trough of disillusionment happens when the original excitement wears off and early adopters report performance issues and low ROI.

Phase 4: The slope of enlightenment occurs when early adopters see initial benefits and others start to understand how to adapt the innovation to their organizations.

Phase 5: The plateau of productivity marks the point at which more users see real-world benefits and innovation goes mainstream.

Understanding the Gartner Hype Cycle is important before proposing and working with any innovative technology solution within your organization, because Phase 1 may start with cheers, but Phase 3 is a challenging phase for technology enthusiasts. Not only the technology but also the proposition is doubted and challenged when the original excitement wears off and early adopters report performance issues.

Phase 4 and Phase 5 come often a year later, and efforts pay off, provided the organization still remains positive towards innovation. This is the cycle of innovation, which starts with cheers, passes through several challenging events, and has an enlightening ending if all remains well.

The Gartner Hype Cycle is important for fostering innovation in the energy transition and managing events starting from Phase 1 to Phase 5 for the desired outcome.