Do policy mix characteristics matter for (eco-)innovation?

The decarbonization of energy systems constitutes one of this century’s key challenges for human society in mitigating climate change. In such a transition so-called policy mixes play a crucial role in redirecting and accelerating technological change towards low-carbon solutions. In this paper we present new insights into the link between policy mix characteristics and technological innovation, using the research case of the transition of the German electricity generation system towards renewable energies – the so-called Energiewende. Methodologically, we proceed by collecting novel company data of manufactures via a computer assisted telephone survey. For this, we extended the Community Innovation Survey by new questions on companies’ perceptions of the policy mix. The survey was conducted between April and July 2014, and yielded a response rate of 36% (n=390). Based on a bivariate Tobit model we find that the perception of companies regarding the credibility of the policy mix is positively associated with the level of their innovation expenditures. This effect intensifies when accounting for the mutual dependency with the consistency of the policy mix. Based on these findings we derive policy recommendations and point to future research needs.

Bio

Karoline Rogge joined SPRU as Lecturer in Energy Policy and Sustainability in November 2013 from the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (Fraunhofer ISI) in Karlsruhe, Germany. Her interdisciplinary research combines insights from environmental economics, innovation studies and policy analysis to study the link between policy and innovation in the energy sector. Karoline's research ranges from evaluating the innovation impact of single policy instruments, such as the EU emissions trading system – the topic of her PhD at ETH Zurich – to analyzing the effects of comprehensive policy mixes for promoting the low carbon transition of the energy system. Regarding the latter, Karoline just completed the GRETCHEN project investigating the influence of the policy mix for renewables on technological and structural change in Germany. She is also involved in the European project PATHWAYS, in which she performs a multi-level analysis for the electricity sector in Germany, and in the Centre of Innovation and Energy Demand (CIED), in which she focuses on policy mixes for energy demand reduction.

Read more about Karoline Rogge here.

Program

15:30 – 16:30: Sustainability Platform, Copenhagen Sustainability Initiative (COSI) & RT2 seminar with Karoline Rogge: policy instrument mixes in environmental-innovation

16:30: Reception

Organized by: The Department of Business and Politics, the Sustainability Platform and the Copenhagen Sustainability Initiative (COSI)

RSVP: Send an email to Sustainability@cbs.dk