Clean Energy Innovation Policies in Emerging and Developing Economies

Emerging developing economies have a major stake in tackling the climate challenge, including through the innovations needed to underpin the clean energy transition. In recent years, energy, climate and development policies in many emerging economies have included ambitious innovation objectives for clean energy technologies. The economic opportunity is large, and strengthening energy innovation systems in these countries is important for the pace of global energy transitions. However, the statuses and forms of these innovation systems vary widely today.

Government policies play an essential role in clean energy innovation, and it is the combination of a broad range of measures that makes them effective. Emerging economies have a wealth of policy and innovation experience to share, and all countries have much to learn about their specific challenges and commonalities.

This report presents 11 new case studies of national experiences with policy development and implementation in support of energy innovation in emerging and developing economies. The case studies, authored by national experts, cover a range of technologies and highlight distinct aspects of the energy innovation process across diverse settings in Argentina, Brazil, China, Colombia, India, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa. A comparison of the case studies reveals seven key findings and a set of insights for governments, intergovernmental bodies and other partners to work on effective policy packages and stronger clean energy innovation ecosystems globally.