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R&D drivers and obstacles to innovation in the energy industry

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  • Costa-Campi, M.T.
  • Duch-Brown, N.
  • García-Quevedo, J.

Abstract

The energy industry is facing substantial challenges that require the fostering of innovation. In this paper we analyse the main drivers of R&D investment and obstacles to innovation in this industry. We examine, firstly, whether the stated R&D objectives pursued by firms play a role in their R&D effort. Secondly, we analyse the effects of financial, knowledge and market barriers on the innovation outcomes of the firms. The data is taken from the Technological Innovation Panel (PITEC) for Spanish firms for the period 2004–2010. We use a structural model with three equations corresponding to the decision to carry out R&D or not, the R&D effort, and the production of innovations. The results of the econometric estimations show, first, that R&D intensity is positively related to process innovation. Second, the main barriers that hamper innovation in the energy industry are related to market factors while financial and knowledge obstacles are not significant.

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  • Costa-Campi, M.T. & Duch-Brown, N. & García-Quevedo, J., 2014. "R&D drivers and obstacles to innovation in the energy industry," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 20-30.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:46:y:2014:i:c:p:20-30
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2014.09.003
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    Cited by:

    1. Maria Teresa Costa-Campi & Néstor Duch-Brown & José García-Quevedo, 2016. "Innovation strategies of energy firms," Working Papers 2016/28, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).
    2. Wang, Nan & Mogi, Gento, 2017. "Deregulation, market competition, and innovation of utilities: Evidence from Japanese electric sector," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 403-413.
    3. Shouro Dasgupta & Enrica De Cian & Elena Verdolini, 2016. "The political economy of energy innovation," WIDER Working Paper Series 017, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    4. Catherine Boulatoff & Carol Marie Boyer, 2017. "What is the impact of private and public R&D on clean technology firms’ performance? An international perspective," Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(2), pages 147-168, April.
    5. Lawrence, Akvile & Karlsson, Magnus & Nehler, Therese & Thollander, Patrik, 2019. "Effects of monetary investment, payback time and firm characteristics on electricity saving in energy-intensive industry," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 240(C), pages 499-512.
    6. Rexhäuser, Sascha & Löschel, Andreas, 2015. "Invention in energy technologies: Comparing energy efficiency and renewable energy inventions at the firm level," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 206-217.
    7. Costa-Campi, M.T. & García-Quevedo, J. & Martínez-Ros, E., 2017. "What are the determinants of investment in environmental R&D?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 455-465.
    8. Alarcón, José Carlos & Aguilar, Rocio & Galán, Jose Luis, 2019. "Determinants of innovation output in Spanish knowledge-intensive service firms: Stability analysis throughout the economic crisis of 2008," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 228-244.
    9. Gaspari, Michele & Lorenzoni, Arturo, 2018. "The governance for distributed energy resources in the Italian electricity market: A driver for innovation?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P3), pages 3623-3632.
    10. Nestor Duch-Brown & Andrea de Panizza & Ibrahim Kholilul Rohman, 2016. "Innovation and productivity in a S&T intensive sector: the case of Information industries in Spain," JRC Working Papers JRC101847, Joint Research Centre (Seville site).
    11. Enrique Loredo & Nuria Lopez-Mielgo & Gustavo Pineiro-Villaverde & María Teresa García-Álvarez, 2019. "Utilities: Innovation and Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, Open Access Journal, vol. 11(4), pages 1-13, February.
    12. Inkyoung Sun & So Young Kim, 2017. "Energy R&D towards Sustainability: A Panel Analysis of Government Budget for Energy R&D in OECD Countries (1974–2012)," Sustainability, MDPI, Open Access Journal, vol. 9(4), pages 1-18, April.
    13. Di Foggia, Giacomo, 2018. "Smart metering projects: an interpretive framework for successful implementation," OSF Preprints zcf34, Center for Open Science.
    14. María Teresa Costa-Campi & Jose García-Quevedo, 2017. "Why do manufacturing industries invest in energy R&D?," Working Papers 2017/20, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).

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    Keywords

    R&D; Innovation; Energy; Barriers; Regulation;

    JEL classification:

    • Q40 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - General
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives

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