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Exploring the quality of environmental technology in Europe: evidence from patent citations

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Listed:
  • Manuel Acosta

    (Universidad de Cádiz)

  • Daniel Coronado

    (Universidad de Cádiz)

  • Ana Fernández

    (Universidad de Cádiz)

Abstract

In this paper we carry out an empirical analysis to address some questions concerning the production and quality of technology in environmental sectors. The methodology involves patents as a measure of the generation of new knowledge, and patent citations as a proxy for the quality of a technological invention. The sample contains more than 12,000 environmental European patents from firms and government institutions from 1998 to 2004. From our econometric analysis, we found that environmental patents applied by individual inventors present on average less quality that those applied by institutional inventors. The size of family patent is relevant to explain forward patent citation. Furthermore, patents coming from abroad (out of Europe), in particular with US and Japan priority, are more cited on average than local patents (with European priority). Lastly, the specialization in environmental fields of a patent plays a negative role in determining the frequency of forward citation.

Suggested Citation

  • Manuel Acosta & Daniel Coronado & Ana Fernández, 2009. "Exploring the quality of environmental technology in Europe: evidence from patent citations," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 80(1), pages 131-152, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:80:y:2009:i:1:d:10.1007_s11192-008-2057-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-008-2057-0
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    2. Duch-Brown, Néstor & Costa-Campi, María Teresa, 2015. "The diffusion of patented oil and gas technology with environmental uses: A forward patent citation analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 267-276.
    3. Satoshi Yasukawa & Shingo Kano, 2014. "Validating the usefulness of examiners’ forward citations from the viewpoint of applicants’ self-selection during the patent application procedure," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 99(3), pages 895-909, June.
    4. Ming-Chao Huang & Shih-Chieh Fang & Shao-Chi Chang, 2011. "Tracking R&D behavior: bibliometric analysis of drug patents in the Orange Book," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 88(3), pages 805-818, September.
    5. Dong, Weijia & Li, Ye & Lv, Xin & Yu, Chang, 2021. "How does venture capital spur the innovation of environmentally friendly firms? Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    6. Manuel Acosta & Daniel Coronado & Esther Ferrándiz & Manuel Jiménez, 2022. "Effects of knowledge spillovers between competitors on patent quality: what patent citations reveal about a global duopoly," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(5), pages 1451-1487, October.
    7. Martin Meyer & Kevin Grant & Piera Morlacchi & Dagmara Weckowska, 2014. "Triple Helix indicators as an emergent area of enquiry: a bibliometric perspective," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 99(1), pages 151-174, April.
    8. Nemet, Gregory F., 2012. "Inter-technology knowledge spillovers for energy technologies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 1259-1270.
    9. Jun Peng Yuan & Wei Ping Yue & Cheng Su & Zheng Wu & Zheng Ma & Yun Tao Pan & Nan Ma & Zhi Yu Hu & Fei Shi & Zheng Lu Yu & Yi Shan Wu, 2010. "Patent activity on water pollution and treatment in China—a scientometric perspective," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 83(3), pages 639-651, June.
    10. Li, Yin & Arora, Sanjay & Youtie, Jan & Shapira, Philip, 2018. "Using web mining to explore Triple Helix influences on growth in small and mid-size firms," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 76, pages 3-14.
    11. Fernández, Ana María & Ferrándiz, Esther & Medina, Jennifer, 2022. "The diffusion of energy technologies. Evidence from renewable, fossil, and nuclear energy patents," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    12. Chihmao Hsieh, 2011. "Explicitly searching for useful inventions: dynamic relatedness and the costs of connecting versus synthesizing," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 86(2), pages 381-404, February.
    13. Duch-Brown, Néstor & Costa-Campi, María Teresa, 2015. "The diffusion of patented oil and gas technology with environmental uses: A forward patent citation analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 267-276.

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