This research contributes to a better understanding of how, if at all, different policy instruments, market structures and regulatory regimes can engender the increased use of green energy innovations. From a policy perspective, this focus arises from the growing importance of green energy innovations in helping to tackle concerns about rising fossil fuel costs and global warming. From an academic perspective, there has been a good deal of work on how 'governments can stimulate the development of new,innovations (induced innovation) but only limited and disparate contributions on how government~ can engender the greater use of existing innovations (induced diffusion). This research, therefore, enhances the academic understanding of induced diffusion by, inter alia, providing a generic definition for induced diffusion; synthesising academic contributions which fall under the definition of induced diffusion; and by conducting empirical research that addresses identified gaps in the understanding of induced diffusion. Methodologically, this research project can best be described as a 'policy thematic interdisciplinary three-study multi-method' thesis that takes its theoretical grounding from economics, environmental studies, finance, and marketing and management. Hence, following a number of dimensional choices, simplifying assumptions, and definitions, the broad-ranging policy and academic objectives of the thesis are tackled by having a focused research strategy that is concentrated on three empirical studies. The three studies are concerned with: (1) the take-up and potential of domestic green energy tariffs in the UK; (2) the patterns of international wind energy diffusion; (3) the adoption of household energy savings technologies in the UK. The findings of the thesis are multip!e and range from those of academic interest to those of policy interest or both. For instance, both the first and the last study highlight the importance of understanding adopter environments (market structure, information problems, consumer behaviour) if credible policy recommendations are to be made. Furthermore, an important academic contribution comes in the second study, where the results obtained raise the possibility that patterns of diffusion under induced diffusion may not in fact be'S' shaped.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:502164 |
| Date | January 2008 |
| Creators | Diaz-Rainey, Ivan |
| Publisher | University of East Anglia |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
Page generated in 0.0025 seconds