This paper investigates the determinants of directed technical change in the electricity generation sector. We use firm-level data on patents led in renewable (REN) and fossil fuel (FF) technologies by about 7,000 European firms over the period 1978-2006. We separately study specialized firms...

This paper argues that the so-called Arab spring is part of a tectonic shift which signals the frailty of the Arab state system as such. Countries benefitting from oil and gas rents have been more resilient, because of their potential to create systems of incentives and disincentives in order to...

Energy security increasingly becomes an issue in the face of rising worldwide energy demand and dwindling resources. Threats to energy security are seen in political instabilities of resource exporting countries, decreasing reserves, geostrategic and geopolitical factors and the structure of the...

Der Pro-Kopf-Stromverbrauch in Indien, der heute noch zwölf Mal niedriger ist als in Deutschland, soll sich laut Prognosen der Internationalen Energie- Agentur bis 2030 verdreifachen. Die dringend erforderliche Elektrifizierung des Landes wird zum überwiegenden Teil mit Stromerzeugung aus...

This paper studies innovation dynamics in efficiency improving electricity generation technologies as an important means of mitigating climate change impacts. Relevant patents are identified and used as an indicator of innovation. We find that patenting in efficiency improving technologies has...

Energy sectors-primarily power generation and gas production, but also energy transmission and distribution-require significant capital investment in infrastructure. Market structures as well as the degree of competition and regulation are key factors that determine firms' incentive to invest....

Der Energiesektor zeichnet sich durch den Bedarf an kapitalintensiven Investitionen in Infrastruktur aus - vor allem in der Stromerzeugung und der Gasgewinnung, aber auch in der Energieübertragung und -verteilung. Sowohl die Marktstrukturen als auch der Grad an Wettbewerb und Regulierung sind...

The effects of extreme weather events, such as heat waves and droughts are taken into account in both global and European policies. Accordingly, the protection of critical infrastructures and in particular, the resilience of the energy sector was the subject of intense research. There are...

Hydrogen is currently enjoying a renewed and widespread momentum in the energy market. In the last years, demand for hydrogen has substantially increased worldwide, with several countries developing hydrogen national strategies, and private companies investing in the development of hydrogen...

In a controversial policy paper, Bachmann et al. (2022) argued back in March 2022 that the economic effects for Germany of a complete immediate stop of energy imports from Russia would be small, between 0.5% and 3% of GDP. Baqaee et al. (2022) even presented 0.3% GDP loss in the case of an...