Examining the patterns of innovation in low carbon energy science and technology: Publications and patents of Asian emerging economies

Abstract

This paper focuses on selected Asian emerging economies. The study employs publications and patents as proxies for science and technology, and its analysis is divided into three main parts: production trends, catching-up trends and patterns of convergence. The findings resulted in four salient points to be considered by policy makers: (1) ASEAN-4 lagged significantly behind the more advanced economies (Korea, Taiwan and China) even though their performance was identical in the early 1990s. China has forged ahead in terms of scientific publications and patents production, but lags behind in patents quality; (2) compared to the world average, the region as a whole has high potential to forge ahead in low carbon energy scientific production. (3) Advanced economies in Asia kicked off their low carbon energy science and technology development more from technological rather than scientific production, with no straightforward co-evolution between the two competencies. This demonstrates the need for a strong science-based technological foundation and a high level of dynamism for low carbon energy technology development; and (4) the economies demonstrated contrasting development trends in their focus between the supply and demand sides of energy technology development. The performance of the advanced economies is higher in ‘demand-side’ low carbon energy innovations.