The Globalization of Clean Energy Technology - 9780262026987

The development and deployment of cleaner energy technologies have become globalizedphenomena. Yet despite the fact that energy-related goods account for more than ten percent ofinternational trade, policy makers, academics, and the business community perceive barriers to theglobal diffusion of these emerging technologies. Experts point to problems including intellectualproperty concerns, trade barriers, and developing countries' limited access to technology andfunding. In this book, Kelly Gallagher uses analysis and case studies from China's solarphotovoltaic, gas turbine, advanced battery, and coal gasification industries to examine bothbarriers and incentives in clean energy technology transfer. Gallagher finds that the barriers arenot as daunting as many assume; these technologies already cross borders through foreign directinvestment, licensing, joint R&D, and other channels. She shows that intellectual propertyinfringement is not as widespread as business leaders fear and can be managed, and that firms indeveloping countries show considerable resourcefulness in acquiring technology legally. She findsthat financing does present an obstacle, especially when new cleaner technologies compete withentrenched, polluting, and often government-subsidized traditional technologies. But the biggestsingle barrier, she finds, is the failure of government to provide sensible policy incentives. Thecase studies show how government, through market-formation policy, can unleash global market forces.Gallagher's findings have theoretical significance as well; she proposes a new model of globaltechnology diffusion that casts doubt on aspects of technology transfer theory.