IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/coe/wpbeer/14.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

EU Policies and Cluster Development of Hydrogen Communities

Author

Listed:
  • Raimund Bleischwitz

    (University College London)

  • Nikolas Bader
  • Anne Nygaard Madsen (Tanner)

    (Technical University of Danemark (TUC))

  • Per Dannemand Andersen

    (Technical University of Danemark (TUC))

Abstract

This study takes on the issue of political and socio-economic conditions for the hydrogen economy as part of a future low carbon society in Europe. It is subdivided into two parts. A first part reviews the current EU policy framework in view of its impact on hydrogen and fuel cell development. In the second part an analysis of the regional dynamics and possible hydrogen and fuel cell clusters is carried out. The current EU policy framework does not hinder hydrogen development. Yet it does not constitute a strong push factor either. EU energy policies have the strongest impact on hydrogen and fuel cell development even though their potential is still underexploited. Regulatory policies have a weak but positive impact on hydrogen. EU spending policies show some inconsistencies. Regions with a high activity level in HFC also are generally innovative regions. Moreover, the article points out certain industrial clusters that favours some regions' conditions for taking part in the HFC development. However, existing hydrogen infrastructure seems to play a minor role for region's engagement. An overall well-functioning regional innovation system is important in the formative phase of an HFC innovation system, but that further research is needed before qualified policy implications can be drawn. Looking ahead the current policy framework at EU level does not set clear long term signals and lacks incentives that are strong enough to facilitate high investment in and deployment of sustainable energy technologies. The likely overall effect thus seems to be too weak to enable the EU hydrogen and fuel cell deployment strategy. According to our analysis an enhanced EU policy framework pushing for sustainability in general and the development of hydrogen and fuel cells in particular requires the following: 1) A strong EU energy policy with credible long term targets; 2) better coordination of EU policies: Europe needs a common understanding of key taxation concepts (green taxation, internalisation of externalities) and a common approach for the market introduction of new energy technologies; 3) an EU cluster policy as an attempt to better coordinate and support of European regions in their efforts to further develop HFC and to set up the respective infrastructure.

Suggested Citation

  • Raimund Bleischwitz & Nikolas Bader & Anne Nygaard Madsen (Tanner) & Per Dannemand Andersen, 2008. "EU Policies and Cluster Development of Hydrogen Communities," Bruges European Economic Research Papers 14, European Economic Studies Department, College of Europe.
    • Handle: RePEc:coe:wpbeer:14
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.coleurope.eu/system/files_force/research-paper/beer14.pdf?download=1
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Frondel, Manuel & Peters, Jorg, 2007. "Biodiesel: A new Oildorado?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 1675-1684, March.
    2. Unruh, Gregory C. & Carrillo-Hermosilla, Javier, 2006. "Globalizing carbon lock-in," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(10), pages 1185-1197, July.
    3. Jacques Pelkmans, 2007. "How Social is European Integration?," Bruges European Economic Policy Briefings 18, European Economic Studies Department, College of Europe.
    4. Thomas Sterner (ed.), 1999. "The Market and the Environment," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 1567.
    5. Joeri Gorter & S. Brakman & Albert van der Horst & H.F.L. Garretsen & M. Schram, 2005. "New economic geography, empirics, and regional policy," CPB Special Publication 56, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    6. Aadne Cappelen & Fulvio Castellacci & Jan Fagerberg & Bart Verspagen, 2003. "The Impact of EU Regional Support on Growth and Convergence in the European Union," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(4), pages 621-644, September.
    7. David, Paul A, 1985. "Clio and the Economics of QWERTY," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 75(2), pages 332-337, May.
    8. Mikael S. Andersen & Rolf-Ulrich Sprenger (ed.), 2000. "Market-based Instruments for Environmental Management," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 1713.
    9. Cooke, Philip, 2001. "Regional Innovation Systems, Clusters, and the Knowledge Economy," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 10(4), pages 945-974, December.
    10. Joeri Gorter & Albert Van der Horst, 2005. "New Economic Geography, Empirics, and Regional Policy," ERSA conference papers ersa05p236, European Regional Science Association.
    11. Bringezu, Stefan & Ramesohl, Stephan & Arnold, Karin & Fischedick, Manfred & von Geibler, Justus, 2007. "Towards a sustainable biomass strategy: what we know and what we should know," Wuppertal Papers 163, Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy.
    12. Fischedick, Manfred, 2007. "CO2-capture and geological storage as a climate policy option: Technologies, concepts, perspectives," Wuppertal Spezial, Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, volume 35, number 35e.
    13. repec:bla:jcmkts:v:41:y:2003:i::p:621-644 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Raimund Bleischwitz, 2011. "Resource Efficiency," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 15(5), pages 644-646, October.
    15. Bleischwitz, Raimund & Fuhrmann, Katrin, 2006. "Introduction to the special issue on `hydrogen' in `Energy Policy'," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(11), pages 1223-1226, July.
    16. Michael Grubb & David Ulph, 2002. "Energy, the Environment, and Innovation," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 18(1), pages 92-106, Spring.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Floarea Iordache & Florin Razvan Balasescu, 2010. "European Union - Space of Regeneration, Learning and Innovation in the Context of Sustainable Multidisciplinary Research," Acta Universitatis Danubius. OEconomica, Danubius University of Galati, issue 2(2), pages 87-97, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bleischwitz, Raimund & Bader, Nikolas, 2010. "Policies for the transition towards a hydrogen economy: the EU case," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(10), pages 5388-5398, October.
    2. Arcalean, Calin & Glomm, Gerhard & Schiopu, Ioana, 2012. "Growth effects of spatial redistribution policies," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 36(7), pages 988-1008.
    3. Olga Alonso-Villar & Coral Del RÍo, 2012. "Concentration of Economic Activity: Inequality-Based Measures," Spatial Economic Analysis, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(2), pages 223-246, June.
    4. David L. Ellison, 2007. "Subnational regionalism in a supranational context: the case of Hungary," IWE Working Papers 177, Institute for World Economics - Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.
    5. Kudic, Muhamed & Pyka, Andreas & Günther, Jutta, 2012. "Determinants of Evolutionary Change Processes in Innovation Networks – Empirical Evidence from the German Laser Industry," IWH Discussion Papers 7/2012, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
    6. George Gelauff & Herman Stolwijk & Paul Veenendaal, 2005. "Europe's financial perspectives in perspective," CPB Document 101.rdf, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    7. Foxon, Timothy J. & Pearson, Peter J.G. & Arapostathis, Stathis & Carlsson-Hyslop, Anna & Thornton, Judith, 2013. "Branching points for transition pathways: assessing responses of actors to challenges on pathways to a low carbon future," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 146-158.
    8. André Stel & Kashifa Suddle, 2008. "The impact of new firm formation on regional development in the Netherlands," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 31-47, January.
    9. Maarten Bosker & Harry Garretsen, 2010. "Trade costs in empirical New Economic Geography," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 89(3), pages 485-511, August.
    10. Li, Yao, 2008. "Industrial Agglomeration and Wage Inequality in China," MPRA Paper 11426, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Oct 2008.
    11. Brakman, Steven & Garretsen, Harry & Schramm, Marc, 2006. "Putting new economic geography to the test: Free-ness of trade and agglomeration in the EU regions," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 613-635, September.
    12. Christian LONGHI, 2008. "Empirics Of The Metropolitan Productivity Patterns In Europe," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 27, pages 61-82.
    13. Roberta Capello & Camilla Lenzi, 2018. "The dynamics of regional learning paradigms and trajectories," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 28(4), pages 727-748, September.
    14. Bickenbach, Frank & Bode, Eckhardt & Krieger-Boden, Christiane, 2010. "Structural cohesion in Europe: Stylized facts," Kiel Working Papers 1669, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    15. Nicholas Howarth, 2011. "Clean Energy Technology and the Role of Non-Carbon Price-Based Policy: An Evolutionary Economics Perspective," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(5), pages 871-891, October.
    16. Joan Crespo, 2021. "Agencies, scales and times of path creation: The case of IoT in Toulouse," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(5), pages 1527-1545, October.
    17. Binz, Christian & Truffer, Bernhard & Li, Li & Shi, Yajuan & Lu, Yonglong, 2012. "Conceptualizing leapfrogging with spatially coupled innovation systems: The case of onsite wastewater treatment in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 79(1), pages 155-171.
    18. Porfírio, José & Jacquinet, Marc & Carrilho, Tiago, 2009. "The Concept of Agricultural District and the Question of Rural Development," Spatial and Organizational Dynamics Discussion Papers 2009-3, CIEO-Research Centre for Spatial and Organizational Dynamics, University of Algarve.
    19. Fabien Candau, 2008. "Entrepreneurs' Location Choice And Public Policies: A Survey Of The New Economic Geography," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(5), pages 909-952, December.
    20. Nils Markusson, 2012. "Born Again: The Debate on Lock-in and Ccs," Energy & Environment, , vol. 23(2-3), pages 389-394, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    hydrogen; energy policy; clusters; regions; innovation.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • O52 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Europe
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy
    • R58 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Regional Development Planning and Policy

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:coe:wpbeer:14. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Jessie Moerman (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/eescebe.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.