Much of the research on technological innovation, especially in the context of sustainability transitions, has focused on the early stages of innovation. Much less work has been done on successful acceleration of technological change after pre-development and take-off. Filling this gap is important for improving the chances of successful deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs). Recent work on sustainability transitions has focused on the importance of "intermediaries". These are actors and platforms that sustain the momentum of transitions by linking actors, activities, and resources. Their role in the acceleration phase is less well understood and SMRs provide a compelling case study of the challenges. This paper uses document, web, and interview data to analyze the role of intermediaries in Canadian SMR deployment, focusing particularly on the intermediaries needed for successful social innovation; identifies gaps; and evaluates the role of public policy in supporting the development of these critical relationships.

中文翻译：

---

加速 SMR 在加拿大的部署：中介机构的重要性


许多关于技术创新的研究，尤其是在可持续发展转型的背景下，都集中在创新的早期阶段。在前期开发和起飞后，在成功加速技术变革方面所做的工作要少得多。填补这一空白对于提高成功部署小型模块化反应堆 （SMR） 的机会非常重要。最近关于可持续性转型的工作集中在“中介机构”的重要性上。这些参与者和平台通过链接参与者、活动和资源来维持过渡的势头。它们在加速阶段的作用不太清楚，SMR 为这些挑战提供了一个令人信服的案例研究。本文使用文件、网络和访谈数据来分析中介机构在加拿大 SMR 部署中的作用，特别关注成功社会创新所需的中介机构;识别差距;并评估公共政策在支持这些关键关系发展中的作用。