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The Optimal Timing of Adoption of a Green Technology

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  • Maria Cunha-e-Sá
  • Ana Reis

Abstract

We study the optimal timing of adoption of a cleaner technology and its effects on the rate of growth of an economy in the context of an AK endogenous growth model. We show that the results depend upon the behavior of the marginal utility of environmental quality with respect to consumption. When it is increasing, we derive the capital level at the optimal timing of adoption. We show that this capital threshold is independent of the initial conditions on the stock of capital, implying that capital-poor countries tend to take longer to adopt. Also, country-specific characteristics, as the existence of high barriers to adoption, may lead to different capital thresholds for different countries. If the marginal utility of environmental quality decreases with consumption, a country should never delay adoption; the optimal policy is either to adopt immediately or, if adoption costs are “too high”, to never adopt. The policy implications of these results are discussed in the context of the international debate surrounding the environmental political agenda. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 2007

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Cunha-e-Sá & Ana Reis, 2007. "The Optimal Timing of Adoption of a Green Technology," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 36(1), pages 35-55, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:enreec:v:36:y:2007:i:1:p:35-55
    DOI: 10.1007/s10640-006-9045-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Färnstrand Damsgaard, Erika, 2012. "Exhaustible resources, technology choice and industrialization of developing countries," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 271-294.
    2. Wei Jin & ZhongXiang Zhang, 2014. "Quo Vadis? Energy Consumption and Technological Innovation in China's Economic Growth," CCEP Working Papers 1412, Centre for Climate & Energy Policy, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.
    3. Lucas Bretschger & Sjak Smulders, 2007. "Sustainable Resource Use and Economic Dynamics," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 36(1), pages 1-13, January.
    4. Wei Jin & ZhongXiang Zhang, 2014. "From Energy-intensive to Innovation-led Growth: On the Transition Dynamics of China’s Economy," Working Papers 2014.100, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    5. Santiago J. Rubio, Jose L. Garcia and Jose L. Hueso, 2009. "Neoclassical Growth, Environment and Technological Change: The Environmental Kuznets Curve," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Special I).
    6. Färnstrand Damsgaard, Erika, 2010. "Exhaustible Resources, Technology Choice and Industrialization of Developing Countries," Working Paper Series 844, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    7. Jin, Wei & Zhang, ZhongXiang, 2014. "Quo Vadis? Energy Consumption and Technological Innovation," Working Papers 249494, Australian National University, Centre for Climate Economics & Policy.
    8. Guo, Jian-Xin & Zhu, Kaiwei, 2021. "Implications for enterprise to adopt cleaner technology: From the perspective of energy market and commodity market," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    9. Akihiko Yanase, 2014. "Indeterminacy and Pollution Haven Hypothesis in a Dynamic General Equilibrium Model," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 25(5), pages 959-980, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    cost of adoption; growth; optimal timing of adoption; pollution; technology adoption; 033; 040; Q20;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q20 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - General

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