Knowledge flows in global renewable energy innovation systems: the role of technological and geographical distance

Deyu Li; Gaston Heimeriks; Floor Alkemade

doi:10.1080/09537325.2021.1903416

Knowledge flows in global renewable energy innovation systems: the role of technological and geographical distance

Deyu Li^*
, Gaston Heimeriks
, Floor Alkemade

^*Corresponding author for this work

Eindhoven University of Technology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Understanding the global knowledge dynamics of renewable energy technologies requires consideration of both technological and geographical dimensions. This paper assesses the relative importance of technological and geographical distant knowledge in the future knowledge development of technological innovation systems (TIS) of renewables. Using global renewable energy patents, we quantify the absorptive capacity of countries as the degree of knowledge accumulation in the knowledge diffusion between domestic actors in a TIS. Our results show that international knowledge flows within a renewable energy TIS are more important for countries with smaller absorptive capacity, whereas countries with larger absorptive capacity benefit more from domestic knowledge originating in other TISs. Consequently, each country faces unique opportunities and constraints with respect to global technological developments when developing renewable energy technologies. These findings lead to policy implications that are specific to developing renewable energy technologies in different countries.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	418-432
Number of pages	15
Journal	Technology Analysis and Strategic Management
Volume	34
Issue number	4
Early online date	2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/09537325.2021.1903416
Publication status	Published - 3 Apr 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek [grant number: 452-13-010] and the UK Economic and Social Research Council [grant number: ES/S010688/1]. The authors thank the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive feedback. The authors would also like to thank Koen Frenken for his comments on the previous versions of this paper.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

Global innovation systems
knowledge flows
renewable energy technologies
technological distance

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10.1080/09537325.2021.1903416Licence: CC BY

Knowledge flows in global renewable energy innovation systems the role of technological and geographical distanceFinal published version, 1.94 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Knowledge flows in global renewable energy innovation systems: the role of technological and geographical distance",

abstract = "Understanding the global knowledge dynamics of renewable energy technologies requires consideration of both technological and geographical dimensions. This paper assesses the relative importance of technological and geographical distant knowledge in the future knowledge development of technological innovation systems (TIS) of renewables. Using global renewable energy patents, we quantify the absorptive capacity of countries as the degree of knowledge accumulation in the knowledge diffusion between domestic actors in a TIS. Our results show that international knowledge flows within a renewable energy TIS are more important for countries with smaller absorptive capacity, whereas countries with larger absorptive capacity benefit more from domestic knowledge originating in other TISs. Consequently, each country faces unique opportunities and constraints with respect to global technological developments when developing renewable energy technologies. These findings lead to policy implications that are specific to developing renewable energy technologies in different countries.",

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author = "Deyu Li and Gaston Heimeriks and Floor Alkemade",

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AU - Li, Deyu

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AU - Alkemade, Floor

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek [grant number: 452-13-010] and the UK Economic and Social Research Council [grant number: ES/S010688/1]. The authors thank the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive feedback. The authors would also like to thank Koen Frenken for his comments on the previous versions of this paper. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

PY - 2022/4/3

Y1 - 2022/4/3

N2 - Understanding the global knowledge dynamics of renewable energy technologies requires consideration of both technological and geographical dimensions. This paper assesses the relative importance of technological and geographical distant knowledge in the future knowledge development of technological innovation systems (TIS) of renewables. Using global renewable energy patents, we quantify the absorptive capacity of countries as the degree of knowledge accumulation in the knowledge diffusion between domestic actors in a TIS. Our results show that international knowledge flows within a renewable energy TIS are more important for countries with smaller absorptive capacity, whereas countries with larger absorptive capacity benefit more from domestic knowledge originating in other TISs. Consequently, each country faces unique opportunities and constraints with respect to global technological developments when developing renewable energy technologies. These findings lead to policy implications that are specific to developing renewable energy technologies in different countries.

AB - Understanding the global knowledge dynamics of renewable energy technologies requires consideration of both technological and geographical dimensions. This paper assesses the relative importance of technological and geographical distant knowledge in the future knowledge development of technological innovation systems (TIS) of renewables. Using global renewable energy patents, we quantify the absorptive capacity of countries as the degree of knowledge accumulation in the knowledge diffusion between domestic actors in a TIS. Our results show that international knowledge flows within a renewable energy TIS are more important for countries with smaller absorptive capacity, whereas countries with larger absorptive capacity benefit more from domestic knowledge originating in other TISs. Consequently, each country faces unique opportunities and constraints with respect to global technological developments when developing renewable energy technologies. These findings lead to policy implications that are specific to developing renewable energy technologies in different countries.

KW - Global innovation systems

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KW - technological distance

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Knowledge flows in global renewable energy innovation systems: the role of technological and geographical distance

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

Keywords

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