RAPID study of economic stimulus on local government energy innovation and collaboration

该研究对地方政府在技术发展、实施和传播中的作用提供了重要的见解。ARRA的很大一部分资金直接拨给地方政府，用于解决具体和适用的地方问题，如可再生能源和替代燃料的实施、节能、新运输技术和智能电网能源传输系统的扩展。尽管有大量文献研究了促成联邦政府或大学与私营公司合作成功转移技术的因素，但研究地方政府在这些合作中的作用的研究要少得多。ARRA史无前例的战略是将大量的技术资金拨给地方政府，而不是直接拨给企业、研究所和大学。这种战略可以用来揭示科技政策科学中一个相对未知的领域。这种方法的成功与否很可能取决于地方政府管理能源项目的内部能力，以及正式和非正式合作关系出现的程度。本研究考察了哪些因素导致了开发、推广和实施新能源技术所必需的伙伴关系和合作关系的发展。它还研究了信息和技术创新如何在地方政府系统中传播和扩散。PI的分析基于制度集体行动的交易成本解释。更好地理解科学投资如何刺激政策网络和其他形式的跨部门合作的建立，可能对地方政府的运作产生重大而深远的影响。更广泛的影响：该项目利用了一个独特的机会来收集基线数据，这些数据可用于评估科学投资对合作和创新的影响。这些数据为今后调查技术知识在地方政府和其他行为者之间的传播提供了重要基础。通过对地方政府内部的地方协作网络在促进合作方面的作用进行调查，得出的见解可用于为地方州和联邦层面的政策设计提供信息。此外，该研究还在研究过程中培养博士后和研究生，为他们将来为科学政策科学做出贡献做好准备。

The research provides important insights into the role of local governments in technology development, implementation and diffusion. A substantial share of ARRA funding is directed to local governments to address specific and applied local problems such as implementation of renewable energy and alternative fuels, energy conservation, new transportation technologies, and expansion of smart grid energy transmission systems. Although an extensive literature exists on the factors that contribute to the successful transfer of technologies from federal government or university partnerships with private companies, far less research exists which examines the role of local governments in these collaborations. The unprecedented ARRA strategy of directing substantial technology funding to local governments, rather than directly to firms, institutes and universities, can be used to shed new light on a relatively unknown area of the science of science and technology policy. The success of the approach is likely to depend on the extent to which local governments have the internal capacity to manage energy programs and the extent to which formal and informal collaborative relationships emerge. This research examines what factors lead to the development of those partnerships and collaborative relationships necessary to develop, promote, and implement new energy technologies. It also examines how information and technological innovations are transmitted and diffused among a system of local governments. The PI bases the analysis on a transaction cost explanation of institutional collective action. Better understanding of the way in which science investments spur the creation of policy networks and other forms of cross-sector collaborations may have significant and far-reaching consequences for the functioning of local government. BROADER IMPACTS:The project takes advantage of a unique opportunity to gather baseline data that can be used to assess the impact of science investments on collaboration and innovation. These data provide an important foundation for future inquiry on the transmission of technical knowledge among local governments and other actors. The insights associated with the investigation of the role of local collaborative networks within local governments in stimulating collaboration can be used to inform policy design at the local state and federal levels. In addition, the research trains post doctoral and graduate students in the research process and prepares them to contribute to the science of science policy in the future.