Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Costantini, Valeria
Author-Email: v.costantini@uniroma3.it
Author-Name: Crespi, Francesco
Author-Email: crespi@uniroma3.it
Author-Workplace-Name: University of Turin
Author-Workplace-Homepage: http://www.est.unito.it/
Title: Public policies for a sustainable energy sector: regulation, diversity and fostering of innovation
Abstract: Many industrialised countries have Introduced environmental policy measures in order to reduce negative 
externalities linked to economic activities. These policy actions produce different effects on the economic system 
depending on the regulatory tools adopted and the specific objective of public intervention. The impact on innovation 
is particularly difficult to predict, especially with regard to the direction of technological change. As a case 
study, we have chosen the energy sector where the strong interrelations between socio-economic and technological 
dimensions may exacerbate the negative consequences of implementing conflicting policies. The aim of this paper is 
to show how the lack of strong coordination between different public policies implemented in the energy sector 
may lead to an incoherent policy mix with negative effects on the development and diffusion of environmentally-friendly 
energy  technologies. We have adopted a gravity equation model based on bilateral export flows of technologies for 
production and consumption of renewable energies and energy-saving technologies for OECD countries. Our key findings 
show that alternative measures of public support in the energy sector have been producing contrasting effects on 
the international competitiveness of energy technologies.
Length: 28 pages
Creation-Date: 2009-10
File-URL:http://www.est.unito.it/do/home.pl/Download?doc=/allegati_wp/wp2009dip_l_b/15_wp_momigliano.pdf
File-Format: Application/PDF
Handle: RePEc:uto:labeco:200915