A major concern regarding innovation in clean technologies in the EU is that the fragmentation of its innovation system may hinder knowledge flows and, consequently, spillovers across member countries. A low intensity of knowledge flows across EU states can negatively impact their technological base, suppressing opportunities for further innovations and hindering the movement towards the technological frontier. This paper evaluates the fragmentation of the EU innovation system in the field of renewable energy sources (RES) by examining the intensity and direction of knowledge spillovers over the years 1985-2010. We modify the original double exponential knowledge diffusion model to provide information on the degree of integration of EU countries’ innovation efforts and to assess how citation patterns changed over time. We show that EU RES inventors have increasingly built “on the shoulders of the other EU giants”, intensifying their citations to other member countries and decreasing those to domestic inventors. Furthermore, the EU strengthened its position as source of RES knowledge for the US. Finally, we show that this pattern is peculiar to RES, with other traditional (i.e. fossil-based) energy technologies behaving differently.

Transition towards a green economy in Europe. Innovation and knowledge integration in the renewable energy sector / Conti, Chiara; Luisa Mancusi, Maria; SANNA RANDACCIO, Francesca; Sestini, Roberta; Verdolini, Elena. - (2016), pp. 1-27. - NOTE DI LAVORO DELLA FONDAZIONE ENI ENRICO MATTEI.

Transition towards a green economy in Europe. Innovation and knowledge integration in the renewable energy sector

Chiara Conti;Francesca Sanna Randaccio;Roberta Sestini;
2016

Abstract

A major concern regarding innovation in clean technologies in the EU is that the fragmentation of its innovation system may hinder knowledge flows and, consequently, spillovers across member countries. A low intensity of knowledge flows across EU states can negatively impact their technological base, suppressing opportunities for further innovations and hindering the movement towards the technological frontier. This paper evaluates the fragmentation of the EU innovation system in the field of renewable energy sources (RES) by examining the intensity and direction of knowledge spillovers over the years 1985-2010. We modify the original double exponential knowledge diffusion model to provide information on the degree of integration of EU countries’ innovation efforts and to assess how citation patterns changed over time. We show that EU RES inventors have increasingly built “on the shoulders of the other EU giants”, intensifying their citations to other member countries and decreasing those to domestic inventors. Furthermore, the EU strengthened its position as source of RES knowledge for the US. Finally, we show that this pattern is peculiar to RES, with other traditional (i.e. fossil-based) energy technologies behaving differently.
2016
Nota di lavoro 71.2016
Knowledge spillovers; renewable energy technologies; fossil energy technologies; EU innovation
02 Pubblicazione su volume::02a Capitolo o Articolo
Transition towards a green economy in Europe. Innovation and knowledge integration in the renewable energy sector / Conti, Chiara; Luisa Mancusi, Maria; SANNA RANDACCIO, Francesca; Sestini, Roberta; Verdolini, Elena. - (2016), pp. 1-27. - NOTE DI LAVORO DELLA FONDAZIONE ENI ENRICO MATTEI.
File allegati a questo prodotto
File Dimensione Formato  
Conti_Transition-Towards_2016.pdf

solo gestori archivio

Tipologia: Versione editoriale (versione pubblicata con il layout dell'editore)
Licenza: Tutti i diritti riservati (All rights reserved)
Dimensione 1.66 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
1.66 MB Adobe PDF   Contatta l'autore

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1191157
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 54
social impact