Energy Technology Support Research Articles

Does noticing energy infrastructure influence public support for energy development? Evidence from a national survey in Canada

A gap exists in cross-technology and large-scale research about public support for energy infrastructure, particularly the influence of exposure on attitudes. We used a national panel sample of Canadians to explore drivers of support across ten energy technologies, comparing predictors such as exposure, political views, environmental values and sectoral employment with controls for demographics and geography. Exposure to a specific infrastructure was associated with support for four technologies, only one of which was renewable (solar); the others were nuclear, oil from non-tar sand sources and coal, the last of which had the strongest effect with exposure doubling the likelihood of support. However, noticing any infrastructure at all boosted support for all renewable technologies included as well as natural gas, increasing the likelihood of support for key renewables (wind, hydroelectricity, and solar) by 61–76%. Beyond the importance of noticing infrastructure, our results demonstrate that energy technology support follows relatively predictable lines in Canada, save for a general lack of urban–rural divide in attitudes. Results suggest that hiding energy infrastructure may be a barrier to renewable energy transitions, but first we need: more nuanced measurements of exposure and noticing, to understand the direction of causality between such variables and support; and, to explore the roles of energy literacy and gender.

Buying Votes with Discriminative Support for Renewable Energy Technologies

Cet article utilise un modele d’economie politique pour expliquer le soutien differencie accorde a certaines formes d’energie renouvelable comme le photovoltaique. Un modele avec deux partis est developpe pour montrer que un soutien favorable aux energies installees par les menages-electeurs peut inciter les electeurs a modifier leur vote. Le parti au pouvoir, tout comme l’opposition, ont interet a proposer un soutien differencie meme si celui-ci est inefficace.

Technology innovation systems and technology diffusion: Adoption of bio-digestion in an emerging innovation system in Rwanda

Abstract Ensuring modern household energy services is a key focus for national governments of many developing countries and of international development agencies aiming to support sustainable development issues, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. While renewable energy options are considered to have social and environmental benefits, and despite substantial efforts to support the dissemination of new and improved renewable energy technologies, rates of diffusion remain extremely low. For instance, biogas digester penetration in Rwanda accounts for just 1% of national potential as of 2012. This is in part due to the lack of innovation systems, which foster technology diffusion. This paper analyzes the development of a technological innovation system (TIS) for bio-digestion in Rwanda between 2000 and 2011. We apply the so-called ‘functions approach’ in analyzing the emergence of a Rwandan biogas technological innovation system. We show the accumulation through time of TIS functions, linking these to the weak diffusion of bio-digesters. We argue that international development assistance should aim to support to the build-up of technological innovation systems in their support for energy technologies.

Why We Need a Green Industrial Policy

It is our aim in this book to identify the key drivers of green industrial policy, the processes involved and the factors on which its success depends. ‘Greening’ the economy, transforming it to ensure environmental sustainability, is becoming increasingly urgent at the current rates of natural resource depletion. It is, however, a goal which will require enormous investment. As markets in their current form are failing to provide the required incentives, governments must take the driver’s seat. There they will face lobbying from various interest groups, with a serious risk of political capture, windfall profits and rent seeking. Managing rents is therefore at the heart of green industrial policy and is the focus of this book. Taking support for renewable energy technologies as our example, we show how governments can manage rents to mobilize private investment in clean technologies while avoiding inefficiencies. We focus on the emerging powers, which are so important for the future of our planet.