Energy Savings via FDI? Empirical Evidence from Developing Countries
Abstract
In this paper we examine the influence of foreign direct investment inflows on energy intensities of developing countries empirically. We first show that a simple OLS estimation, as it is found in the literature, suggests energy intensity reductions from FDI inflows, which is consistent with the hypothesis of energy saving technology transfer via FDI. However, such a regression turns out to be spurious and only a starting point for further research. Therefore, we use macro level data on 60 developing countries for the period 1975-2004 including other potential determinants of energy intensities and apply panel estimation techniques and tests. The results do not confirm the hypothesis that FDI inflows reduce energy intensities of developing countries in general. Interactions of FDI with country-specific characteristics do not show significant effects, either.Download Info
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Paper provided by Kiel Institute for the World Economy in its series Kiel Working Papers with number 1393.Length: 27 pages
Date of creation: Jan 2008
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:kie:kieliw:1393
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Keywords: developing countries; energy intensity; FDI; technology transfer;Other versions of this item:
- Hübler, Michael & Keller, Andreas, 2010. "Energy savings via FDI? Empirical evidence from developing countries," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 15(01), pages 59-80, February.
- F18 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Environment
- F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements
- O13 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
- O33 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Technological Change; Research and Development; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
- Q43 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Energy and the Macroeconomy
- Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth
This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:
- NEP-ALL-2008-01-26 (All new papers)
- NEP-DEV-2008-01-26 (Development)
- NEP-ENE-2008-01-26 (Energy Economics)
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Citations
Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.Cited by:
- Bento Cerdeira, João Paulo, 2012. "The role of foreign direct investment in the renewable electricity generation and economic growth nexus in Portugal: a cointegration and causality analysis," MPRA Paper 41533, University Library of Munich, Germany.
- Cerdeira Bento, João Paulo, 2012. "Cointegration Models Applied For Portugal’s Energy Consumption, Inward FDI and GDP Series (1980-2007)," MPRA Paper 41619, University Library of Munich, Germany.
- Hübler, Michael, 2011. "Technology diffusion under contraction and convergence: A CGE analysis of China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 131-142, January.
- Richard Perkins & Eric Neumayer, 2012. "Do recipient country characteristics affect international spillovers of CO 2-efficiency via trade and foreign direct investment?," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 112(2), pages 469-491, May.
- João Paulo Bento, 2011. "Energy Savings via Foreign Direct Investment? - Empirical evidence from Portugal," Working Papers 2011/24, Maastricht School of Management.
- Michael Hübler, 2009. "Energy Saving Technology Diffusion via FDI and Trade: A CGE Model of China," Kiel Working Papers 1479, Kiel Institute for the World Economy.
- Pueyo, Ana & García, Rodrigo & Mendiluce, María & Morales, Darío, 2011. "The role of technology transfer for the development of a local wind component industry in Chile," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(7), pages 4274-4283, July.
- Bettina Kretschmer & Michael Hübler & Peter Nunnenkamp, 2010. "Does Foreign Aid Reduce Energy and Carbon Intensities in Developing Countries," Kiel Working Papers 1598, Kiel Institute for the World Economy.
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