Abstract
The use of fossil fuels to generate energy is often associated with serious negative effects on the environment. The greenhouse gas emissions resulting from burning these fuels destroy the ozone layer and lead to global warming. As a strategic approach to the solution of this problem, calls for research and development, as well as the implementation of technologies associated with renewable energy sources within the European Union (EU), have intensified in recent years. One of the keys to a successful outcome from this intensified effort is to identify the challenges associated with the transfer of both intellectual property and technology rights in the renewable energy sector within the EU. The present paper contributes towards this direction. Firstly, data from the literature were used to identify contemporary trends within the European Union with regards to technology transfer and intellectual property within the sector of renewable energy. Then, a statistical analysis utilising an ordinary least squares (OLS) model was conducted to establish a correlation between renewable energy innovations (research and development) and the level of investment associated with renewable energy technologies. Finally, this correlation, along with the associated challenges, was then critically explored for four of the most popular renewable energy sources (namely solar energy, biomass, wind energy, and marine renewable energy), and conclusions are reported.
Highlights
European Union nations and the world at large [24,25]. With this risk of hindrance in mind, it is of interest to explore specific research questions, such as whether concerns over intellectual property can stalemate the transfer associated with renewable energy technologies, and whether investments in renewable energy sources are correlated to, and can be affected by, intellectual property
Intellectual property rights and renewable energy panel data, it was found that nations intellectual property rights and renewable energy panel data, it was found that nations with larger GDPs tended to have higher number of patent applications and investment with larger GDPs tended to have higher number of patent applications and investment in inrenewable renewable energy when compared to smaller nations
It is argued that the issue of intellectual property rights cannot be resolved, so long as the sharing of renewable energy technologies amongst European Union (EU) member states cannot be agreed upon
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. One of the ways through which greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced, controlled, or prevented, is by enabling the transfer of clean energy technologies This measure was listed by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) [13–15]. European Union nations and the world at large [24,25] With this risk of hindrance in mind, it is of interest to explore specific research questions, such as whether concerns over intellectual property can stalemate the transfer associated with renewable energy technologies, and whether investments in renewable energy sources (which are essential in the promotion and implementation of renewable energy sources) are correlated to, and can be affected by, intellectual property.
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