The Patterns of Energy Innovation Convergence across European Countries

Energy innovation is critical for addressing climate change and the ecological transitions of both developed and emerging economies. The present paper aims at the identification and assessment of patterns in energy innovation convergence across a sample of 27 European countries over the period 2000–...

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Main Authors: Tomasz Kijek, Arkadiusz Kijek, Piotr Bolibok, Anna Matras-Bolibok
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-05-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/10/2755
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author Tomasz Kijek
Arkadiusz Kijek
Piotr Bolibok
Anna Matras-Bolibok
author_facet Tomasz Kijek
Arkadiusz Kijek
Piotr Bolibok
Anna Matras-Bolibok
author_sort Tomasz Kijek
collection DOAJ
description Energy innovation is critical for addressing climate change and the ecological transitions of both developed and emerging economies. The present paper aims at the identification and assessment of patterns in energy innovation convergence across a sample of 27 European countries over the period 2000–2018. The research is based on data covering a broad category of patents related to climate change mitigation technologies in the energy sector, including combustion inventions with mitigation potential (e.g., using biomass), extracted from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Statistical Database. Using a nonlinear time-varying factor model, the paper demonstrates that energy innovation efforts in the examined sample follow a pattern of club convergence. The findings allow the identification of three convergence clubs characterised by distinct disparities in energy patent intensity, as measured by the number of patent applications per 10 million inhabitants. Moreover, the results of an ordered logit model demonstrate that the emergence of the identified convergence clubs might be attributable to initial differences in per capita environmental research and development (R&D) expenditure, human resources in science and technology (HRST), and environmental policy stringency. The findings have important policy implications as they suggest the need for more tailored policies based on smart development and specialization frameworks designed to boost the energy innovation performance of the laggard countries, more fully exploiting the potential of their less technologically advanced sectors, such as agriculture.
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spelling doaj.art-ba012ca28ee9460aa62661921b21d3fe2023-11-21T19:13:01ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732021-05-011410275510.3390/en14102755The Patterns of Energy Innovation Convergence across European CountriesTomasz Kijek0Arkadiusz Kijek1Piotr Bolibok2Anna Matras-Bolibok3Department of Microeconomics and Applied Economics, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Plac Marii Curie-Sklodowskiej 5, 20-031 Lublin, PolandDepartment of Statistics and Econometrics, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Plac Marii Curie-Sklodowskiej 5, 20-031 Lublin, PolandDepartment of Economic Policy and Banking, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Al. Raclawickie 14, 20-950 Lublin, PolandDepartment of Microeconomics and Applied Economics, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Plac Marii Curie-Sklodowskiej 5, 20-031 Lublin, PolandEnergy innovation is critical for addressing climate change and the ecological transitions of both developed and emerging economies. The present paper aims at the identification and assessment of patterns in energy innovation convergence across a sample of 27 European countries over the period 2000–2018. The research is based on data covering a broad category of patents related to climate change mitigation technologies in the energy sector, including combustion inventions with mitigation potential (e.g., using biomass), extracted from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Statistical Database. Using a nonlinear time-varying factor model, the paper demonstrates that energy innovation efforts in the examined sample follow a pattern of club convergence. The findings allow the identification of three convergence clubs characterised by distinct disparities in energy patent intensity, as measured by the number of patent applications per 10 million inhabitants. Moreover, the results of an ordered logit model demonstrate that the emergence of the identified convergence clubs might be attributable to initial differences in per capita environmental research and development (R&D) expenditure, human resources in science and technology (HRST), and environmental policy stringency. The findings have important policy implications as they suggest the need for more tailored policies based on smart development and specialization frameworks designed to boost the energy innovation performance of the laggard countries, more fully exploiting the potential of their less technologically advanced sectors, such as agriculture.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/10/2755energy innovationenergy patentsconvergenceclub convergenceR&D expenditureHRST
spellingShingle Tomasz Kijek
Arkadiusz Kijek
Piotr Bolibok
Anna Matras-Bolibok
The Patterns of Energy Innovation Convergence across European Countries
Energies
energy innovation
energy patents
convergence
club convergence
R&D expenditure
HRST
title The Patterns of Energy Innovation Convergence across European Countries
title_full The Patterns of Energy Innovation Convergence across European Countries
title_fullStr The Patterns of Energy Innovation Convergence across European Countries
title_full_unstemmed The Patterns of Energy Innovation Convergence across European Countries
title_short The Patterns of Energy Innovation Convergence across European Countries
title_sort patterns of energy innovation convergence across european countries
topic energy innovation
energy patents
convergence
club convergence
R&D expenditure
HRST
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/10/2755
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