Introduction to Special Issue on Energy Finance

Decisions in Economics and Finance -     

Pursuing a biotechnology system of innovation in Lithuania: a conceptual framework for effective policy intervention

The focus of this paper is on Lithuania, whose government released an ambitious innovation strategy to become an innovative services hub for Northern Europe by 2015, and an innovation hub by 2020. Biotechnology has been identified as a strategic sector, and whether Lithuania will be able to achieve its ambition of a fully functioning biotechnology sectoral system of innovation will be explored. With the Lithuanian government declaring that they will intervene to achieve their innovation goals, this paper argues that sound policy intervention is possible and can be done in a way that avoids the limitations of past systemic approaches. The policy approach presented is based on a modified extended industry life cycle, and the movement of system structures through three phases – background, pre-emergence and emergence – and explains how each phase lays the groundwork for transition to the next phase.     

The impact of Clean Spark Spread expectations on storage hydropower generation

Decisions in Economics and Finance - Storage hydropower generation plays a crucial role in the electric power system and energy transition because it is the most widespread power generation with...     

Evolutionary policy targeting: towards a conceptual framework for effective policy intervention

This special issue reflects on innovation and industrial policy from the premise that economic growth can be based on the permanent transformation of an economic system via the emergence and/or transformation of multi-agent structures and their inherent competences and knowledge base. The process of emergence or transformation is conceived as being the result of entrepreneurial effort, or entrepreneurs reacting to external stimuli in a way that takes advantage of an evolving knowledge base. The same process, however, can be undermined by both market and institutional failures. Past research has clearly indicated the importance of institutional structures for innovation, but also that structures as they exist may not be ideal: some institutions involved in innovation may provide the wrong incentives, faulty information, or allocate insufficient resources to accomplish their goals or mandates; and they may fail to reduce uncertainty. The paper asks whether and how a targeted, co-evolutionary approach can help overcome a lack of dynamic coordination and other failures that originate in coincidence with the emergence of a complex form of industrial organisation, be it an innovation system, cluster or a new industrial sector. More specifically, it builds upon the extended industry life cycle (EILC) model and the notion of evolutionary targeting to explore the potential benefits (and drawbacks) of targeting biotechnology innovation systems (BISs).     

Who pushes the discussion on wind energy? An analysis of self-reposting behaviour on Twitter

Quality & Quantity - Discussions about wind energy and its environmental impact take place routinely over Twitter. Twitterers with a strong interest in the matter may also retweet their own...