Government support of clean technology research in West Germany: some evidence

The authors have set out to review the procedures used in the allocation of public money by the Federal German government for research into 'clean' technologies. Public sponsorship of this kind of research is necessary as industrial firms rarely see enough return for their R&D investment to warrant their carrying it out. The authors have surveyed the methods used by the government funding agency (BMFT) to identify projects and to allocate money to them. 82 projects were included in the survey in the fields of low-emission processes.
Projects were segmented in five ways: Status of the receiver; Type of technology; R&D stage (from basic through demonstration plant); Cooperative versus non-cooperative, Environmental medium. Their broad conclusions are that (a) most of the funds went to projects for the development of 'end-of-the-pipe-cum-recycling' technologies and integrated technologies, (b) where there was cooperation between a firm and a university the R&D concentrated on studying basic principles, and (c) success depends on the existence of a clear strategy for the research as a whole rather than on ad hoc monitoring against a narrowly conceived plan. The authors also summarise the problems met in ensuring that money allocated in this way is effectively used.