On the mechanism of international technology diffusion for energy technological progress

Wei Jin () and ZhongXiang Zhang

Resource and Energy Economics, 2016, vol. 46, issue C, 39-61

Abstract: As a needed methodological complement to the existing large-scale complex policy modelling for energy technology diffusion, this paper contributes to an analytical exposition of the fundamental mechanism of international technology diffusion (ITD) for energy technological progress. We offer two different and complementary perspectives to explore the dynamics of energy technology diffusion and progress. We first develop a Solow-type efficiency-improving model of energy technological progress which is described by improvements in primary energy-augmenting efficiency. We further provide a Romer-type variety-expanding model of energy technological progress which is represented by the expansion of differentiated varieties of primary energy technology blueprints. Analysis based on two different models reaches consistent results: there are potential forces in the world economy – working through ITD – that pull individual countries to advance energy technology, ensuring a cross-country convergence in the growth rates of energy technology in the balanced growth path. While ITD plays a role in a cross-country convergence in technological growth rates, cross-country differences in the efficiency of undertaking indigenous research and the capacity of absorbing foreign technology spillovers would lead to a cross-country divergence in the absolute levels of energy technology.

Keywords: Energy technological progress; International technology diffusion; Endogenous technological change; Multi-country models (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F18 O13 O31 O33 O44 Q43 Q48 Q55 Q58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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Related works:
Working Paper: On the Mechanism of International Technology Diffusion for Energy Technological Progress (2015)
Working Paper: On the Mechanism of International Technology Diffusion for Energy Technological Progress (2015)
Working Paper: On the Mechanism of International Technology Diffusion for Energy Technological Process (2014)
Working Paper: On the Mechanism of International Technology Diffusion for Energy Technological Progress (2014)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:resene:v:46:y:2016:i:c:p:39-61

DOI: 10.1016/j.reseneeco.2016.07.004

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