Publicly funded demonstration projects represent a critical intermediate step between basic R&D on the one hand, and large-scale commercialization of new sustainable technology on the other. However, these projects often suffer from various technical and nontechnical difficulties, frequently fail to meet objectives, and sometimes stall despite the best intentions of their facilitators. This paper reports on a multiple case study of 21 demonstration projects in the area of sustainable technology set in Sweden and offers two contributions. First, it maps the project-internal and external factors that allow or prohibit demonstration projects to reach their goals. Second, it suggests a process model outlining the key activities for setting up a new demonstration project. By doing so, the paper provides important implications for the process of developing and commercializing sustainable technologies. The escalating environmental crisis in particular underscores the need for new knowledge about how cleaner and more sustainable technologies can be applied.

公共资助的示范项目是一方面在基础研发与另一方面将新的可持续技术大规模商业化之间的关键性中间步骤。但是，这些项目经常遭受各种技术和非技术难题，经常达不到目标，并且有时尽管其促进者的最佳意图也停滞不前。本文报告了瑞典在可持续技术领域开展的21个示范项目的多案例研究，并做出了两点贡献。首先，它绘制了允许或禁止示范项目实现其目标的项目内部和外部因素。其次，它提出了一个过程模型，概述了建立新示范项目的关键活动。通过这样做，本文为可持续技术的开发和商业化过程提供了重要的启示。尤其是不断升级的环境危机凸显了对如何应用更清洁，更可持续的技术的新知识的需求。