Low-carbon Technology Transfer Research Articles

Government participation in low-carbon technology transfer: An evolutionary game study

Low-carbon technology transfer is the primary means of promoting the industrialization of low-carbon scientific and technological achievements, as well as an important component in accelerating the realization of carbon peak and carbon neutrality. This study uses the evolutionary game model to construct a three-party game relationship consisting of a low-carbon technology sender and receiver along with government participation. Additionally, based on the Green Technology Bank case, we demonstrate the impact of various factors on the three parties' choice of low-carbon technology transfer strategy in the game. The results reveal that the final participation behavior of the government is less influenced by the initial willingness of the sender and receiver to participate. However, the initial participation willingness of the government and low-carbon technology sender has a significant impact on the receiver's participation. Furthermore, the sender's participation is substantially influenced by the government's willingness to participate. Optimizing the cost and benefit distribution mechanism can encourage low-carbon technology transfer subjects to participate. Increasing government incentive and default punishment is more conducive to realizing the three parties' win-win situation in the game. While government incentive has a significant impact on the sender, the increase in default punishment has a considerable effect on the receiver.

Impact of intercity low-carbon technology transfer on carbon emission reduction in China:Based on the “dichotomy” of knowledge learning and technology learning

Impact of intercity low-carbon technology transfer on carbon emission reduction in China:Based on the “dichotomy” of knowledge learning and technology learning

Research on the Spatial-Temporal Distribution Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Carbon Emission Efficiency in China’s Metal Smelting Industry—Based on the Three-Stage DEA Method

The threat of global climate change has encouraged the international community to pay close attention to the levels of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, in the atmosphere. China has the world’s largest metal smelting industry, which is a major energy-consuming and carbon-emitting industry. Thus, this industry’s low-carbon transition is of great significance. Carbon emission efficiency (CEE) is a key indicator for the metal smelting industry to prioritize sustainable development. This paper applies a three-stage data envelopment analysis model with undesirable outputs to estimate CEE for 30 provinces from 2005 to 2020 in China, and analyzes the influencing factors using a spatial Durbin model. The results show that the CEE level generally improved in all Chinese provinces during the sample period, but the average CEE in the eastern region was 1.05 compared to 1.07 in the western and central regions, with the latter two regions progressing faster in terms of low carbon production capacity. The national average Malmquist–Luenberger (ML) index demonstrates a significant increase in technical efficiency across regions in 2010 and 2017, peaking in 2017. The study also suggests that current green credit and environmental regulations are not effective in promoting CEE improvements in the metal smelting industry, and that existing policies should be modified. Moreover, the spatial regression results indicate that the cross-regional transfer of low-carbon production technologies in China is largely complete. This study provides a more objective evaluation of the CEE levels of metal smelting across China, providing the government with a new perspective to guide the green transformation of energy-intensive industries.

Global mitigation efforts cannot neglect emerging emitters.

International efforts to avoid dangerous climate change have historically focused on reducing energy-related CO2 emissions from countries with either the largest economies (e.g. the EU and the USA) and/or the largest populations (e.g. China and India). However, in recent years, emissions have surged among a different and much less-examined group of countries, raising concerns that a next generation of high-emitting economies will obviate current mitigation targets. Here, we analyse the trends and drivers of emissions in each of the 59 countries where emissions in 2010-2018 grew faster than the global average (excluding China and India), project their emissions under a range of longer-term energy scenarios and estimate the costs of decarbonization pathways. Total emissions from these 'emerging emitters' reach as much as 7.5GtCO2/year in the baseline 2.5° scenario-substantially greater than the emissions from these regions in previously published scenarios that would limit warming to 1.5°C or even 2°C. Such unanticipated emissions would in turn require non-emitting energy deployment from all sectors within these emerging emitters, and faster and deeper reductions in emissions from other countries to meet international climate goals. Moreover, the annual costs of keeping emissions at the low level are in many cases 0.2%-4.1% of countries' gross domestic production, pointing to potential trade-offs with poverty-reduction goals and/or the need for economic support and low-carbon technology transfer from historically high-emitting countries. Our results thus highlight the critical importance of ramping up mitigation efforts in countries that to this point have been largely ignored.

The impact of intellectual property rights protection on low-carbon trade and foreign direct investments

Climate negotiations on low-carbon technology transfer have largely revolved around the role of intellectual property rights (IPR). Some countries consider a strong IPR regime to be a necessary condition for technology transfer, while others argue that it limits developing countries' access to affordable green technologies. We contribute to this discussion by assessing the effect of IPR protection on the two main channels of international low-carbon technology transfer, namely trade in low-carbon capital goods and foreign direct investment (FDI) by firms owning low-carbon technologies. Our data describe transfer through these channels among 140 countries in eight climate-friendly technology areas between 2006 and 2015. We find that stronger IPR protection in recipient countries increased transfer in six technology areas (solar PV, solar thermal, wind, heating, lighting, and cleaner vehicles), while the effect is statistically insignificant in the other two (hydro and insulation). The results differ slightly when focusing on the case of non-OECD countries. Stricter IPRs did not have a statistically significant impact on trade in low-carbon capital goods, but they accelerated FDI in almost all low-carbon technology areas.

Bridging the low-carbon technology gap? Assessing energy initiatives for the Global South

Many developing countries have made their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) conditional on receiving climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity-building support. Due to a lack of engagement from the private sector, countries from the ‘Global South’ face continued challenges in accessing low-carbon finance and technology. Technology transfer initiatives, including public-private partnerships or intellectual property rights (IPR) sharing platforms, have been suggested to bridge this ‘low-carbon technology gap’ and promote the technology transfer needed for energy systems transformation. This paper assesses whether such initiatives address the technology gap, as well as other imperatives such as climate justice or carbon lock-in prevention. The paper finds that many low-carbon technology transfer initiatives focus on transferring multiple kinds of technologies to countries that are facing electricity access and governance challenges. Yet these initiatives do not all address the key capacity-building components of knowledge transfer, and countries with poor intellectual property rights (IPR) protections have fewer initiatives on average. Initiatives are also observed less frequently in climate-vulnerable countries. To meet the Paris climate goals, there is an urgent need for the international community to address the low-carbon technology gap by mainstreaming technology transfer into trade and finance.

Beyond the North-South divide: The political economy and multi-level governance of international low-carbon technology transfer in China

The rapid rise of emerging economies challenges the conventional understanding of international low-carbon technology transfer (ILTT) from a North-South perspective. Rather than acting like passive recipients of foreign investment and technology, actors in emerging economies have become more assertive, seeking control over the processes of ILTT. To understand this emerging trend, this paper conceptualizes ILTT as political-economic and multi-level governance processes involving two key elements—partnership building and technology adaptation. The empirical findings, drawing from a case study on the transfer of the passive house concept from Germany to China, show that the priorities of domestic rather than foreign actors have defined the scope for collaboration and the purpose of the technology, resulting in the adoption of a version of the technology that best serves domestic political-economic interests. These findings suggest that ILTT is becoming increasingly complex geographically, which opens new perspectives into the spatial dimension of socio-technical transitions.

Low-carbon technology transfer between rival firms under cap-and-trade policies

We investigate the effects of low-carbon technology transfer between two rival manufacturers on their economic, environmental, and social welfare performance under a cap-and-trade policy. We model alternative licensing arrangements of technology transfer and evaluate the model performance from the perspectives of different stakeholders, including manufacturers, customers, and policy makers. Our findings show that the contractual choice on low-carbon technology licensing is dependent on the trade-off between the benefits gained from the licensing of technology and the consequential losses incurred from competition with a strengthened competitor, which is influenced by a combination of factors, including internal technological abilities, the interfirm power relationship, external market competition, and the carbon emission control policy. Among them, the interfirm power relationship is most influential in determining the optimal contractual decision. In addition, we extend the analysis of technology licensing strategies to different carbon emissions caps with additional cost incurred from purchasing emission allowances through auction, and a two-period model considering emissions cap reduction, respectively. Finally, our analyses show it is critical for policy makers to develop appropriate emissions control policies to promote the agenda of a sustainable, low-carbon economy.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions and the Macroeconomy: Evidence from the ASEAN Region

This paper examined the effects of income, trade, and foreign direct investments (FDI) on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries for the period of 1970–2011 using the panel corrected standard errors (PCSE) estimation method. The results of the study were consistent with the environmental Kuznet’s curve (EKC) hypothesis – CO2 emissions increase as per capita GDP increases up to a certain income threshold, beyond which further increase in income is accompanied by lower emissions. However, the threshold per capita GDP (estimated to be USD 20,017) is way above the income levels of the ASEAN countries (with the exception of Brunei and Singapore). This suggests that most of the ASEAN region will still be in the upward-sloping portion of the EKC for several more years, and this necessitates an economic growth strategy that includes a stringent program to curb CO2 emissions. Nonetheless, both trade and FDIs do not significantly contribute to CO2 emissions in the ASEAN region, auguring well for the trade- and FDI-oriented development strategies adopted by most ASEAN member countries. Since low-carbon technologies and production methods are owned by high-income investing countries, trade and FDI can also be encouraged to facilitate and hasten the transfer of low-carbon technologies to the fast-developing countries of the ASEAN region.

Carbon emission reductions under global low-carbon technology transfer and its policy mix with R&D improvement

In this study, we have developed a new integrated assessment model named CIECIA-TD to study the carbon reductions and climatic and economic impacts of global low-carbon technology transfer and its policy mix with R&D improvement. Compared with its base model, CIECIA, CIECIA-TD comprises a bottom-up technology transfer and diffusion mode for depicting the individual technology transfer behaviours. The results show that the technology transfer has significant reduction and warming mitigation effects. However, it is insufficient for achieving the 2 °C mitigation goal. The technologies transfer frequently between developed countries, achieving significant carbon reductions when the low-carbon technologies are fully shared around the world, whereas reductions of developing countries are mainly limited by their knowledge stocks and R&D investments. Climate policy mix that combines technology transfer and R&D improvement can achieve the 2 °C mitigation target. However, the economic benefits of countries are eroded as the price of global warming mitigation under this policy mix.

Explaining the Diffusion of Energy-Efficient Lighting in India: A Technology Innovation Systems Approach

Electricity consumption from lighting accounts for about 15% of total power demand and 5–6% of greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries. It is therefore a promising avenue to achieve considerable energy savings through technological innovation and upgrading. India has been very successful in recent years with a nationwide roll-out of modern light-emitting diode (LED) applications. This study uses the framework of technology innovation systems to identify the actors, institutions, and processes behind the diffusion of this technology. Our findings indicate that national innovation strategies, along with low-carbon technology (LCT) transfer policies, helped to bring down the cost of LED lamps in a rapidly expanding domestic market. Based on the findings, we further explore lessons for broader issues of low-carbon technology transfer and suggest an emerging intermediate step between north–south and south–south technology transfer.

Low Carbon Innovation: The Construction of Green Patent Pools in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

In view of the features of technology transfer and patent licensing of low carbon technologies, it is necessary to explore a new green patent system, focusing on solving the problems of excessive licensing fees and complicated implementation conditions. Based on the analysis of the industrial foundation and technical reserves of low carbon industry in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, this paper proposes a concept of constructing green patent pools in the region. First, to construct enterprise-shared green patent pools, break through the traditional competition pattern by sharing innovative technologies, and promote the overall development of low carbon industry. Second, to construct public green patent pools, which are funded by government totally or partially, promote the innovation and application of low carbon technologies, and promote to take the road of low-carbon development in the Greater Bay Area.

Transition pathways for North Africa to meet its (intended) nationally determined contributions ((I)NDCs) under the Paris Agreement: a model-based assessment

ABSTRACT This study applies a scenario-based analysis to assess the sustainability of energy transitions of the North African economies under the Paris Agreement, by evaluating the specific pace of the transition grounded in the reality of the actual regional constraints. The ‘Long-range Energy Alternative Planning’ modelling platform is used to simulate the impact of energy and climate policies set in the context of the global low-carbon transition on North Africa’s current energy system and economies. Two scenarios are developed: the reference and the Intended Nationally Determined Contribution scenarios. A cost–benefit analysis is performed to ensure this transition can be cost-effective and to suggest recommendations for an efficient and effective transition to a low carbon economy. Results show that decarbonization in North Africa can be achieved at the regional scale, at negative costs, but significant upfront capital investments and intensive energy policy reforms are needed. Key policy insights In order for North African countries to meet their Paris Agreement commitments, further steps need to be taken by the international community to accelerate low-carbon technology transfer and the provision of financial resources to them. Policies for energy efficiency and renewable energy development should include the establishment of a regional market to develop and harmonize policies and legal frameworks in North Africa. Regional energy market integration and network interconnections would allow economies of scale, cost savings and the development of regional expertise. Policies for energy efficiency should also include reforms to phase out or reduce fossil fuel subsidies, mandatory energy audits for the buildings sector, and minimum energy performance standards for appliances, such as air conditioners and refrigerators.

Knowledge flow in low-carbon technology transfer: A case of India's wind power industry

The degree of knowledge flow in low-carbon technology transfer is influenced by its organizational mechanism. While transfer mechanisms involving greater cross-border interaction and recipient effort may provide more learning opportunities, there remains a gap about the causal mechanisms and contingent variables involved in technology transfer and technological capability development. This study offers one of the first firm-level causal analyses of transfer mechanisms and technological capabilities, taking into account various firm- and context-specific factors. To this end, India's wind power industry is analyzed using firm-level data and semi-structured interviews conducted in 2013 with 15 wind turbine manufacturers covering 76% of the market share and 12 other organizations working on wind power. The analysis demonstrates that innovation capabilities are accumulated mainly through transfer mechanisms enabling recipients’ engagement in research and development. Mergers and acquisitions as well as international research and development centers are among the most effective examples. Joint ventures could be appropriate if a local partner gains a large majority shareholding. The knowledge transfer through wholly foreign-owned enterprises may be restricted because intellectual properties are tightly controlled by their parent firms. The creation of a predictable, performance-oriented market enhances firms’ financial resources and consequently encourages knowledge acquisition and capability development.

Research on global carbon abatement driven by R&D investment in the context of INDCs

The intended nationally determined contributions were adopted as the national plans for addressing the climate change challenge after 2020, aiming at limiting global warming to 2 or 1.5 °C. In this context, energy-saving R&D has become an important way for reducing GHG emissions. This study used a climate-economy integrated assessment model to study the carbon reduction and climate mitigation effects of R&D investment by scenario simulation. The results show that most of the major carbon emitters cannot achieve their INDC targets by continuing their current R&D growth trends. Unless the R&D investment rates of countries increase to radically high levels, global warming by 2100 cannot be controlled to below 2 or 1.5 °C even when the major carbon emitters have approached or achieved their INDC targets. Low-carbon technology transfer will obviously reduce the carbon emissions of developing countries, but cannot achieve the 2 °C target. Considering the actual R&D capabilities of countries and the economic loss under excessive R&D input, raising R&D rates to approximately 4 or 5 percent and combining them with technology transfer and production damage measures will be a more realistic approach.

Low-carbon innovation and technology transfer in latecomer countries: Insights from solar PV in the clean development mechanism

This paper examines the organizational arrangements for technology supply in solar photovoltaic projects in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). It shows that while lower middle-income countries typically import solar PV equipment into CDM projects, China, India and Thailand have begun to use new organizational arrangements for technology transfer which reflect the overall industry maturity in the solar PV sectors in these countries. This has great potential for long-term climate change mitigation efforts. However, the initiation of these new organizational arrangements often preceded the supply of technology into CDM projects. This raises important questions about the role of CDM in spearheading the development of technological capabilities required for sustainable development. The paper uses these findings to add to the literature about technology in CDM and to the wider policy debates over the future of the global climate regime. Technology transfer does not become less important as developing countries' capabilities mature, but the nature of technology transfer changes over time. This suggests a need to differentiate between countries at different levels of development. Lower middle-income countries may have greater needs for building technological capabilities whereas cooperative activities may be suitable for upper middle-income countries that already have capabilities to address climate change.

Governance, enabling frameworks and policies for the transfer and diffusion of low carbon and climate adaptation technologies in developing countries

Governance, enabling frameworks and policies for the transfer and diffusion of low carbon and climate adaptation technologies in developing countries

Barriers to the Transfer of Low-carbon Electricity Generation Technologies in Four Latin American Countries

This article discusses the conclusions of four national Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) processes in Latin America (2011-2013), as applied to the electricity sector. The primary focus is on the financial and economic barriers identified by countries to the transfer of prioritized low-carbon energy technologies. While many electricity markets in Latin America were liberalized during the 1990s and 2000s, such market-driven reform policies were far from uniform and in reality there exist a diversity of governance frameworks for national electricity markets, exemplified here by Argentina, Cuba, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic. As such, we compare the identified barriers against the key characteristics of the national electricity sectors and natural resource base, in order to evaluate the relative significance of these barriers. In doing so, we make an indicative contribution to the debate about the relationship between financial and economic barriers to technology transfer and electricity market structures, based on a new round of country-driven priorities and analysis, in support of the UNFCCC process on climate change mitigation.

National Mission for Climate Change Using Clean Development Mechanics

The success of our national efforts would be significantly enhanced provided the developed countries affirm their responsibility for accumulated green house gas emissions and fulfill their commitments under the United Nations framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to transfer new and additional financial resources climate friendly technology to support both adaptation and mitigation in developing countries. Clean Development Mechanics (CDM) is a tool of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. CDM change in average weather conditions, or in the distribution of weather around the average conditions. It is caused by factors that include oceanic processes variations in solar radiation received by Earth, plate tectonics and volcanic eruption, and human-induced alterations of the natural world; these latter effects are currently using CDM “climate change” is often used to describe human-specific impacts. Scientists work to understand past and future climate by using observations and theoretical models. Temperature profiles, ice cores, floral and faunal records, glacial and per glacial processes, stable isotope and other sediment analyses, and sea level records serve to provide a climate record that spans the geologic past. More recent data are provided by the instrumental record. On other hand climate change risks are becoming biggest challenges of 21st century such as rising sea levels, that could force us to alter many of the ways economic and social activity are arranged. Climate-related changes may threaten human health, disrupt economic activity, damage natural ecosystems irreversibly, and even lead to mass migration, food shortage, and other global humanitarian crises. We have to outline the global climate strategy to curb it such as: conversion to lower carbon economies in both developed and developing countries, with market-based incentive schemes dominant in the former group, and low-carbon technology transfer schemes dominant in the latter. Engineering new and innovative form in the market in India using National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC) is the rate at which energy is received from the sun and the rate at which it is lost to space determine the equilibrium temperature and climate of Earth. This energy is distributed around the globe by winds, ocean currents, and other mechanisms to affect the climates of different regions. Factors that can shape climate are called climate forcing or “forcing mechanisms”. The Innovative project processes such as variations in solar radiation, variations in the Earth’s orbit, mountain- building and continental drift and changes in greenhouse gas concentrations. India faced with the challenge of sustaining its rapid economic growth while dealing with the global threat of climate change using CDM.

Lessons from China: building technological capabilities for low carbon technology transfer and development

Using case study analysis across three sectors in China (cement, electric vehicles and coal fired electricity generation) and theoretical insights from the innovation studies literature, this paper analyses the development of China’s technological capabilities in low carbon technologies and the ways in which public policies have contributed to developing these capabilities. It finds that China has developed significant capabilities via a strategic approach. The paper’s findings have significant implications for international policies designed to support low carbon technology transfer to developing countries and broader processes of low carbon technological change and development. Such policies should go beyond the traditional focus on the transfer of technology hardware to focus on the development of low carbon technological capabilities in developing country firms.