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Clean and Dirty International Technology Diffusion

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  • Bosetti, Valentina
  • Verdolini, Elena

Abstract

This paper investigates the role of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection and Environmental Policies (EPs) on clean (renewable) and dirty (fossil-based) technology diffusion from top-innovators. IPR protection and EPs are extensively debated policy tools, as IPR protection addresses knowledge market failure, while EPs respond to pressing local and global environmental externalities. A model of monopolistic competition inspired by the recent trade literature shows that the profits associated with exporting a blueprint are a function of the quality of the idea and of market and institutional characteristics of the receiving country. We test the empirical implications of our model using patent data in renewable and fossil efficient power technologies for 13 top innovating countries and 40 patenting authorities. We improve on previous contributions by accounting for unobserved heterogeneity and for the endogeneity of policy proxies through a Generalized Method of Moment estimator. We show that knowledge transfer through patent duplication increases with the level of IPR protection, but with slight diminishing marginal returns. The effect is stronger for clean technologies, which are arguably less mature and more sensitive to uncertainty. Commitment to EPs also increases the incentives for patent duplication. The magnitude of the effect is conditional on the nature of the technology and on the specific policy instrument.

Suggested Citation

  • Bosetti, Valentina & Verdolini, Elena, 2013. "Clean and Dirty International Technology Diffusion," Economy and Society 150374, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
  • Handle: RePEc:ags:feemso:150374
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.150374
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    Cited by:

    1. Robert K. Perrons & Adam B. Jaffe & Trinh Le, 2020. "Tracing the Linkages Between Scientific Research and Energy Innovations: A Comparison of Clean and Dirty Technologies," NBER Working Papers 27777, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Jan Witajewski-Baltvilks & Elena Verdolini & Massimo Tavoni, 2015. "Directed Technological Change and Energy Efficiency Improvements," Working Papers 2015.78, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    3. Srinivasan, Suchita, 2019. "The light at the end of the tunnel: Impact of policy on the global diffusion of fluorescent lamps," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 907-918.
    4. Paulo Vitor Levate & Eduardo Gonçalves & Juliana Gonçalves Taveira, 2021. "Regional drivers of green inventions in OECD countries," Letters in Spatial and Resource Sciences, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 335-354, December.
    5. Conti, C. & Mancusi, M.L. & Sanna-Randaccio, F. & Sestini, R. & Verdolini, E., 2018. "Transition towards a green economy in Europe: Innovation and knowledge integration in the renewable energy sector," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(10), pages 1996-2009.
    6. Dasgupta, Shouro & De Cian, Enrica, 2016. "Institutions and the Environment: Existing Evidence and Future Directions," MITP: Mitigation, Innovation and Transformation Pathways 240747, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    7. Witajewski-Baltvilks, Jan & Verdolini, Elena & Tavoni, Massimo, 2015. "Bending the learning curve," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(S1), pages 86-99.
    8. Elena Verdolini & Valentina Bosetti, 2017. "Environmental Policy and the International Diffusion of Cleaner Energy Technologies," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 66(3), pages 497-536, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies;

    JEL classification:

    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital
    • Q55 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Technological Innovation

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