THE ROLE OF EU INNOVATION POLICIES IN THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ENERGY SECTOR

Olesea SIRBU; Rodica CRUDU; Augustin IGNATOV

Authors

Olesea SIRBU Centre for Studies in European Integration, Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, Banulescu-Bodoni 61 street, MD-2005, Chișinău, Republic of Moldova
Rodica CRUDU Centre for Studies in European Integration, Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, Banulescu-Bodoni 61 street, MD-2005, Chișinău, Republic of Moldova https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6470-8601
Augustin IGNATOV Centre for Studies in European Integration, Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, Banulescu-Bodoni 61 street, MD-2005, Chișinău, Republic of Moldova, E-mail: augustin1ignatov1@gmail.com

Keywords:

sustainable economic development; renewable energy; greenhouse gas emissions; recycling; energy efficiency; R&D expenditure

Abstract

https://doi.org/10.1515/subboec-2017-0006

In the present conditions when the demographic pressure upon the environment is higher than ever, the humanity faces the challenge of sustainability. Namely the sustainability of human activities is important and nothing can assure it better than sustainable energy supplies. The European Union is the leading global power in terms of adjusting its policies to increase innovation to assure a sustainable growth of its energy sector as a key to an advanced economic system. The present research focuses on the impact of European Union policies on the sustainable development of its energy sector by analyzing quantitatively and qualitatively various indicators intended to offer a throughout insight. The results obtained focus on the identification of the main innovation paradigms; the description of the main modern environmental challenges, especially in the energy domain; the determination of the relation between innovation and energy sustainability, and its analysis at the level of European Union.

JEL classification: H50, Q20, Q40, Q50;

References

*International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) (2017) Sustainable Development, Available online at: http://www.iisd.org/topic/sustainable-development

*International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) (2016) Progress in ITER Construction, Manufacturing and R&D, IAEA Fusion Energy Conference, Kyoto, Japan

*European Commission (2010) Europe 2020 A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, Brussels, Belgium

*European Commission (2011) Energy 2020 A strategy for competitive, sustainable and secure energy, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg

*European Commission (2015) State of the Energy Union 2015, Commission Staff Working Document on the European Energy Security Strategy SWD(2015), Brussels, Belgium

*European Commission (2017) Intelligent Energy Europe, Projects database. Available online at: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/

*European Commission (EUROSTAT) (2004-2015), Database, available online at: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/data/database

*European Commission (EUROSTAT) (2008-2015), Database, available online at: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/data/database

*United Nations Industrial Development Organization (2015) Industrial Development Report 2016. The Role of Technology and Innovation in Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development, Vienna

*Boie I., Fernandes C., Frías P., Klobasa M. (2014), Efficient strategies for the integration of renewable energy into future energy infrastructures in Europe – An analysis based on transnational modeling and case studies for nine European regions, Energy Policy, 64 (1), 170–185

Ćetković S., Buzogány A. (2016) Varieties of capitalism and clean energy transitions in the European Union: When renewable energy hits different economic logics, Climate Policy, 16 (5), 642-657

Chesbrough H. W. (2003) The Era of Open Innovation, MIT Sloan Management Review, 44 (3), 34-42

Costa-Campi M.T., Duch-Brown N., García-Quevedo J. (2013) R&D Drivers and Obstacles to Innovation In the Energy Industry, IEB Working Papers 2013/23, Barcelona, Spain

Costantini V., Crespi F. (2009) Public Policies For A Sustainable Energy Sector: Regulation, Diversity And Fostering Of Innovation, Dipartimento di Economia “S. Cognetti de Martiis” Working papers No. 15/2009, Torino (Italy)

Crudu R., Ignatov A. (2016a) The Role Of EU Financing In The Industrial Development of EU New Member States, 25 De Ani de Reformă Economică în Republica Moldova: Prin Inovare şi Competitivitate spre Progres Economic Conference, Chişinău, Republic of Moldova

Crudu R., Ignatov A. (2016b) The role of innovation policies in economic sustainable development of the EU, Economica, 98 (4), 71-87

Curley M., Salmelin B. (2013) Open Innovation 2.O: A New Paradigm- White paper, OI2 Conference Paper, Dublin, Ireland

Enel, The European House “Ambrosetti” (2015) Building the European Energy Union, Primaprint – Viterbo, Rome

Gajewski M. (2017) Policies Supporting Innovation In The European Union In The Context Of The Lisbon Strategy And The Europe 2020 Strategy, Comparative Economic Research, 20 (2), 109-127

Gallagher K. S, Holdren J. P., Sagar, A. D. (2006) Energy-technology innovation, Annual Reviews, 31 (1), 193-237

Gaventa J., Mabey N., Dixson-Declève S., Spence-Jackson H., Acke D. (2015) EU Energy Union Assessment 2015 Towards A Resilient Energy Union With A Forward‐Looking Climate Policy, Briefing Paper November 2015, University of Cambridge, European Climate foundation

General Electric (2016) The Investment Plan for Europe- A GE Perspective, GE-JW 2016/02, Brussels, Belgium

Hamdouch A., Depret M-H. (2012) Sustainable Development Policies and the Geographical Landscape of the Green Economy. Actors Scales and Strategies, Finisterra, 47 (94), 49-80

Khan R. (2017) The contribution of socially driven businesses and innovations to social sustainability, Lappeenrannan teknillinen yliopisto, Yliopistopaino

Mahdjoubi D. (2009) Paradigms of Innovation, Stavanger Centre for Innovation Research Workshop, Austin, Texas

Nidumolu R., Prahalad C.K., Rangaswami M.R. (2009) Why sustainability is now a key driver of innovation. Harvard Business Review, 87 (9), 57-64

Plous S. (1993) The Nuclear Arms Race: Prisoner's Dilemma or Perceptual Dilemma?, Journal of Peace Research, 30 (2), 163-179

Prandecki K. (2014) The Idea of Sustainability in European Union Energy Policy, Environment and Ecology Research, 2 (1), 14-20

Ragwitz, M.; Schade, W.; Breitschopf, B.; Walz, R.; Helfrich, N.; Rathmann, M.; Resch, G.; Panzer, C.; Faber, T.; Haas, R.; Nathani, C.; Holzhey, M.; Konstantinaviciute, I.; Zagame, P.; Fougeyrollas, A.; Le Hir, B. (2009) EmployRES. The impact of renewable energy policy on economic growth and employment in the European Union. Final report, Brussels, Belgium

Reinaud J., Clinckx N., Ronzeau K., Faraggi P. (2016) Scaling Up Innovation in the Energy Union to Meet New Climate, Competitiveness and Societal Goals, i24c, European Climate Foundation

Szulecki K., Fischer S., Gullberg A. T., Sartor O. (2016) Shaping the ‘Energy Union': between national positions and governance innovation in EU energy and climate policy, Climate Policy, 16 (5), 548-567

Williams R. H. (2001) Addressing challenges to sustainable development with innovative energy technologies in a competitive electric industry, Energy for Sustainable Development, 5 (2), 48-73

Wilson C. (2012) Input, Output & Outcome Metrics for Assessing Energy Technology Innovation. Historical Case Studies of Energy Technology Innovation. In: Grubler A., Aguayo F., Gallagher K.S., Hekkert M., Jiang K., Mytelka L., Neij L., Nemet G., Wilson C. (eds). The Global Energy Assessment. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK, Chapter 24