Characterizing the policy mix and its impact on eco-innovation in energy-efficient technologies

Alessandro Palma
Bocconi Università
Thursday, 22 October 2015 - 12:00

This seminar presents the result of an empirical study of the effects of the policy mix on innovation in energy efficiency technologies. An original dataset covering 23 OECD countries over the period 1990-­-2010 combines the full set of policies in the energy efficiency domain for the residential sector with data on patents applied over the same period in this specific technological sector. Evidence of a positive policy inducement effect on innovation is articulated in four main results: i) policy mix comprehensiveness is influential since countries adopting different instruments show a relatively higher positive inducement effect; ii) inconsistency problems between the different tools forming the policy mix may negatively influence innovation activities when the variety of policy instruments becomes excessive; iii) the different instruments forming the policy mix need to be well balanced in their relative strength in order to reduce potential negative lock-­-in effects; iv) the greater the external balance of the national policy strategy with the policy setting of other similar countries, the higher the inducement effect on the technological dynamics of the investigated country. Suggestions for implementing effective policy strategies and for extending them to other technology domains are discussed.

Place: 

Ciudad Politécnica de la Innovación
Edificio 8G, Acceso A, Planta 4ª (Sala IMAGINA. Cubo Verde)
Universidad Politécnica de Valencia | Camino de Vera s/n

Short CV: 

Alessandro Palma is Research Fellow at IEFE, Bocconi University (Milan). He is an economist by training (MSc, PhD) with research interests in the areas of Environmental and Development Economics, including Energy Economics and Policy, Climate Change, Eco-innovation. His published work includes empirical studies of Policy Inducement aimed at Energy Efficiency Technology and of innovation systems through patent analysis.