Determinants of the Pace of Global Innovation in Energy Technologies

Abstract

Understanding the factors driving innovation in energy technologies is of critical importance to mitigating climate change and addressing other energy-related global challenges. Low levels of innovation, measured in terms of energy patent filings, were noted in the 1980s and 90s as an issue of concern and were attributed to limited investment in public and private research and development (R&D). Here we build a comprehensive global database of energy patents covering the period 1970–2009, which is unique in its temporal and geographical scope. Analysis of the data reveals a recent, marked departure from historical trends. A sharp increase in rates of patenting has occurred over the last decade, particularly in renewable technologies, despite continued low levels of R&D funding. To solve the puzzle of fast innovation despite modest R&D increases, we develop a model that explains the nonlinear response observed in the empirical data of technological innovation to various types of investment. The model reveals a regular relationship between patents, R&D funding, and growing markets across technologies, and accurately predicts patenting rates at different stages of technological maturity and market development. We show quantitatively how growing markets have formed a vital complement to public R&D in driving innovative activity. These two forms of investment have each leveraged the effect of the other in driving patenting trends over long periods of time.

Timelines for Mitigating Methane Emissions from Energy Technologies

“…Such planning can help direct efforts to reduce the costs of low-emissions intensity technologies [31,[54][55][56]. Private actors investing in R&D and technology production capacity might use the insights on CH 4 mitigation timelines to decide which technology designs to invest in.…”

Bibliometric analysis of international researches on innovation metrics

“…Table 7 shows the distribution of researches in relation to the level of analysis for further discussion. Table 7 Levels of analysis of the selected papers Martino et al (2012) and Amore et al (2013) Energy Noailly (2012) and Bettencourt et al (2013) Among the selected studies, the firm stands out as main level of analysis. This fact stems from the fact that the firm is responsible for adding value to the resources it receives and by selling them as products to the market.…”

Renewable energy: Back the renewables boom

“…My analyses of 30 or more years of data [2][3][4] show that the costs of Back the renewables boom Low-carbon technologies are getting better and cheaper each year, but continued public-policy support is needed to sustain progress, says Jessika E. Trancik.…”

“…Some technologies are more open to improvement than others [2][3][4][5][6][7] . Compact, modular systems, such as photovoltaics and electronics, are easily experimented on 5,7 .…”

“…Led by China, Europe, the United States and Japan, the alternativeenergy sector is booming worldwide [2][3][4] . Solar and wind technologies have improved most rapidly in the past three decades, with photovoltaics a hundred times cheaper today than in 1975.…”