Title page
Contents
Abstract 2
1. Introduction 3
2. Definitions and global trends in low-carbon technologies 4
3. What drives the rate and direction of innovation towards low-carbon technologies? 8
3.1. Technology-push versus demand-pull factors 8
3.2. Path-dependency and carbon lock-in 11
4. Energy technologies 16
5. Transportation sector 23
6. Conclusions and policy implications 30
References 33
Figure 1. Global evolution of patenting activities in environmental technologies 5
Figure 2. Global evolution of patenting activities, per category of environmental technologies 6
Figure 3. Global investment in energy supply over time 13
Figure 4. Fewer acquisitions for cleantech companies compared to other sectors 15
Figure 5. Global evolution of patenting activities in energy-related CCMT (second hierarchy level) 16
Figure 6. Global evolution of patenting activities in energy-related CCMT (third hierarchy level) 17
Figure 7. Solar panel price indexes 20
Figure 8. US media attention on renewable energy policy, 1980-2018 21
Figure 9. Global public clean energy R&D spending (Million USD, 2018 PPP prices) 21
Figure 10. Global evolution of low-carbon technologies in the transport sector 24
Figure 11. Global evolution of low-carbon technologies in road transport, per technology type 24
Figure 12. US media attention on various low-carbon vehicle technologies, 1980-2013 26
Figure 13. Evolution of emission standards in the automobile industry for different countries 27
Figure 14. Evolution of electric vehicle suggested retail price 28
Figure 15. Global evolution of low-carbon enabling technologies for road transport, per technology type 29
Figure 16. Global evolution of clean (electric and hybrid), grey (improved ICE) and dirty (conventional ICE) patents in road transport 30
Boxes
Box 1. Patent statistics 5