Factors Determining the Adoption of Energy-Saving Technologies in Swiss Firms – An Analysis Based on Micro Data

KOF Swiss Economic Institute Working Paper No. 257

47 Pages Posted: 25 May 2010

See all articles by Spyros Arvanitis

Spyros Arvanitis

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH) - Swiss Institute for Business Cycle Research (KOF)

Marius Christian Ley

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Date Written: May 25, 2010

Abstract

This study investigates the factors that determine the inter-firm and intra-firm adoption rates of energy-saving technologies. These factors can be on theoretical terms firm-specific rank effects, inducement effects, adoption barriers as well as order, stock and epidemic effects that are related to different kinds of external effects. Data for 2324 Swiss firms for the year 2008 are used that contain information about four categories of energy-saving technology applications (electromechanical and electronic applications; applications in motor vehicle and traffic engineering; in building construction; and in power-generating processes) that are studied separately. The results show that there are significant differences with respect to rank effects and adoption barriers between inter-and intra-firm diffusion. In practically all cases positive epidemic and/or network effects outweigh potential negative stock and order effects. Inducement effects, particularly those traced back to intrinsic motivations for environment-friendly technologies, show clearly positive effects on the adoption rates.

Keywords: Energy-Saving Technologies, Technology Adoption

JEL Classification: O31, O33

Suggested Citation

Arvanitis, Spyros and Ley, Marius Christian, Factors Determining the Adoption of Energy-Saving Technologies in Swiss Firms – An Analysis Based on Micro Data (May 25, 2010). KOF Swiss Economic Institute Working Paper No. 257, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1615455 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1615455

Spyros Arvanitis (Contact Author)

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH) - Swiss Institute for Business Cycle Research (KOF) ( email )

CH-8092 Zurich
Switzerland
+41 44 632 51 68 (Phone)
+41 44 632 13 52 (Fax)

Marius Christian Ley

affiliation not provided to SSRN

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