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Green Inventions: Is Wait-and-see a Reasonable Option?

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  • Tobias Stucki
  • Martin Woerter

Abstract

We analyze the potential of different knowledge stocks to decrease the technological gap between the leader in green technology inventions and its followers in order to identify if wait-and-see is a reasonable option to benefit from knowledge. Our econometric results indicate that it is difficult to decrease the technological gap and remain competitive in the generation of green technologies without timely accumulating green knowledge. Although effects from external green knowledge stocks also contribute to decrease the technological gap, the effects are moderate and they cannot compensate the lack of internal green competences. Non-green knowledge stocks even tend to increase the technological gap.

Suggested Citation

  • Tobias Stucki & Martin Woerter, 2017. "Green Inventions: Is Wait-and-see a Reasonable Option?," The Energy Journal, , vol. 38(4), pages 43-72, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:enejou:v:38:y:2017:i:4:p:43-72
    DOI: 10.5547/01956574.38.4.tstu
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    Cited by:

    1. David Popp, 2019. "Environmental Policy and Innovation: A Decade of Research," NBER Working Papers 25631, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Tobias Stucki & Martin Woerter, 2019. "Competitive Pressure and Diversification into Green R&D," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 55(2), pages 301-325, September.
    3. David Popp & Jacquelyn Pless & Ivan Haščič & Nick Johnstone, 2020. "Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Energy Sector," NBER Chapters, in: The Role of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Economic Growth, pages 175-248, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Wanzhe Chen & Jiaqi Liu & Xuanwei Ning & Lei Du & Yang Zhang & Chengliang Wu, 2023. "Low-Carbon City Building and Green Development: New Evidence from Quasi Natural Experiments from 277 Cities in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-28, July.
    5. David Popp, 2020. "Promoting Clean Energy Innovation," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 17(04), pages 30-35, January.
    6. Lim, King Yoong, 2024. "Heterogeneous environmental consciousness, carbon permit adoption, and endogenous growth: A case of China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 734-751.
    7. David Popp, 2019. "Environmental policy and innovation: a decade of research," CESifo Working Paper Series 7544, CESifo.
    8. Stucki, Tobias & Woerter, Martin, 2019. "The private returns to knowledge: A comparison of ICT, biotechnologies, nanotechnologies, and green technologies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 62-81.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Innovation; Knowledge; Patents; Environment; Technological; change; Spillovers;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F0 - International Economics - - General

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