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Catalyzing solar and wind technology exports: the «Flywheel Effect» of demand-side factors

Author

Listed:
  • Alessandro Marra

    (University d’Annunzio of Chieti and Pescara)

  • Emiliano Colantonio

    (University d’Annunzio of Chieti and Pescara)

  • Marco Cucculelli

    (Università Politecnica delle Marche)

Abstract

The paper aims to emphasize the importance of demand-side factors in strengthening countries’ efforts to address the climate challenge through the export of solar and wind technologies. While the existing literature has predominantly focused on the supply side, we argue that the demand side has a direct effect and exerts an indirect influence (via the supply side) on the export of these technologies and their widespread adoption. This has implications for the current policy debate. To test our hypotheses, we use a Panel Vector Autoregressive model in first differences for a panel of 20 industrialized countries over a twenty-five-year period. The results reveal mixed support to the hypothesis that demand exerts a positive effect on the export of solar and wind technologies. While the evidence on the role energy intensity is robust across specifications, we observe that other measures of demand - such as the level economic activity and oil prices - positively impacts solar and wind technology exports primarily in the most advanced countries. Additionally, the findings broadly support the hypothesis that all demand factors indirectly influence the export of these technologies by bolstering supply-side effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Alessandro Marra & Emiliano Colantonio & Marco Cucculelli, 2025. "Catalyzing solar and wind technology exports: the «Flywheel Effect» of demand-side factors," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 52(2), pages 415-449, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:epolin:v:52:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1007_s40812-024-00336-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s40812-024-00336-x
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Renewable technologies; Export; Energy transition; Energy intensity; Structural change;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology
    • Q28 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Government Policy
    • L52 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Industrial Policy; Sectoral Planning Methods

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