As environmental problems worsen, eco-innovation research has received increased attention. Korea is implementing an eco-label policy to induce eco-innovation. Eco-labeling is a type of voluntary eco-innovation. There are few empirical studies on the economic performance of eco-labels in Korea and even fewer on the additional investment in the technology used for eco-labeling. The present study quantitatively measured the effect of eco-labels on additionally generated sales and research and development (R&D) investment through propensity score matching. The results revealed that eco-labeling has a positive impact on sales over the following 2 years, which is the expiration date of certification; moreover, investment in R&D typically increased for 3 years before certification. Interestingly, no additional R&D investment was made after certification. This study is mainly a basis for the introduction of environmental certification to government policymakers or product strategists who have yet to implement a certification system.

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As a countermeasure to the greenhouse gas problem, the world is focusing on alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs). The most prominent alternatives are battery electric vehicles (BEV) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). This study examines FCEVs, especially considering hydrogen refueling stations to fill the gap in the research. Many studies suggest the important impact that infrastructure has on the diffusion of AFVs, but they do not provide quantitative preferences for the design of hydrogen refueling stations. This study analyzes and presents a consumer preference structure for hydrogen refueling stations, considering the production method, distance, probability of failure to refuel, number of dispensers, and fuel costs as core attributes. For the analysis, stated preference data are applied to choice experiments, and mixed logit is used for the estimation. Results indicate that the supply stability of hydrogen refueling stations is the second most important attribute following fuel price. Consumers are willing to pay more for green hydrogen compared to gray hydrogen, which is hydrogen produced by fossil fuels. Driver fuel type and perception of hydrogen energy influence structure preference. Our results suggest a specific design for hydrogen refueling stations based on the characteristics of user groups.

Recent increases in fine and ultrafine dust in South Korea have led to sharp increases in the sale of air purifiers, and that trend is expected to continue. As the sale of air purifiers increases, the energy that is consumed by air purifiers also increases. Therefore, improving the energy efficiency of air purifiers is an important part of improving the overall energy efficiency of society. We studied how different incentive policies affect consumer behavior because encouraging people to buy energy efficient air purifiers is important. We first investigated consumer preferences regarding air purifiers. Stated preference data were gathered from a choice experiment and a mixed logit model was used for the analysis. The results show that the most preferred attribute was price, followed by an eco-label. Based on that result, we conducted a scenario analysis to examine the economic and environmental effects of an incentive policy and eco-labeling. The monetary incentive policy increased the market share for air purifiers with a first-grade energy efficiency rating to 2.2%. The annual electricity use reduction was 5.9 GWh, with a CO2 emission reduction of 2520 tons and a policy monetary benefit of KRW 441,340,922 when we converted the effect of that market share change into economic and environmental terms. Eco-labeling also brought considerable change in the market share. These results provide a reference for implementing policies to encourage consumers to purchase energy efficient air purifiers.

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