An Analysis of Innovation and Performance in U.S. Biofuel Firms: Implications for the Biofuel Technological Innovation System

该项目侧重于分析美国生物燃料技术创新系统的演变，重点是第一代和第二代生物燃料。生物燃料产业的特点是新的和渐进式工艺创新，不同于其他制造业，因为它是基于资源的，它是本地化的，它是由政策和联盟驱动的，它在新原料生产的孵化和商业化方面具有高度的不确定性。这些条件促进了风险平衡的组织网络，从而形成了地理嵌入式技术创新系统。使用纤维素技术的第二代生物燃料的开发带来了新的工艺开发可能性，这不能在一个公司或一个地区的边界内完成。该项目将考察生物燃料生产从核基技术向第二代（纤维素）技术扩展时企业层面的调整。调查人员将分析企业绩效和生产商在美国生物质生物燃料技术创新体系中的作用。他们将重点分析两组具体问题的答案：(1)哪些内部和外部因素决定了生物燃料公司的创新和业务绩效，以及生物燃料公司在多大程度上依赖当地政策和合作伙伴来提高绩效？(2)企业层面流程的调整如何影响全系统功能，企业如何塑造和重塑生物燃料创新和生产的整体环境？数据将从调查和存档文件中收集，采用定量和定性方法来了解影响该行业发展的因素。该项目将促进对本地化可再生能源生产的基本了解。它将开发一个概念和分析框架，可转移到其他能源行业，非组装产品行业或任何新兴的地理嵌入式技术创新系统。它将推动在经济地理学中占据中心位置的创新和企业绩效研究。虽然大多数研究都集中在产品创新和制造上，但本项目将重点关注资源型产业和工艺创新。资源产业在经济与环境的争论中扮演着关键而独特的角色。面向过程的技术变革对企业绩效和产业进步至关重要。该项目将通过对许多公司及其行为对更大行业的影响的分析，超越工业人口统计学和案例研究，为经济地理学理论做出贡献。该项目还将涉及政策问题，这将从对其外部环境变化的坚定调整的分析中产生。

The project focuses on an analysis of the evolution of the biofuel technological innovation system within the United States, with emphasis on both first- and second-generation biofuels. The biofuel industry, characterized by new and incremental process innovation, differs from other manufacturing because it is resource-based, it is localized, it is driven by policy and alliances, and it has high levels of uncertainty in the incubation and commercialization of new feedstock-based production. These conditions facilitate risk-balancing organizational networks that result in the formation of a geographically embedded technological innovation system. The development of second-generation biofuels using cellulosic technologies has introduced new process-development possibilities, which cannot be accomplished within the boundaries of a single firm or a region. This project will examine firm-level adjustments as biofuel production expands from kernel-based to second-generation (cellulosic) technologies. The investigators will analyze firm performance and the role of the producer within the U.S. biomass-based biofuel technological innovation system. They will focus on analysis of answers to two specific sets of questions: (1) What internal and external factors determine innovation and business performance in biofuel firms, and to what extent do biofuel firms depend on local policy and partners to improve performance? (2) How do adjustments in firm-level processes affect system-wide functions, and how do firms shape and reshape the overall environment of biofuel innovation and production? Data will be gathered from surveys and archived documents, with both quantitative and qualitative methods used to understand factors affecting the evolution of this industry.The project will advance basic understanding of localized renewable energy production. It will develop a conceptual and analytical framework transferable to other energy industries, industries with non-assembled products, or any emerging geographically embedded technological innovation system. It will advance studies of innovation and firm performance, which occupy a central place in economic geography. While most studies have focused focus on product innovation and manufacturing, this project will focus on a resource-based industry and process innovation. Resource industries have critical and distinct roles to play in the debate over economy and environment. Process-oriented technological change is vital to firm performance and industrial advancement. The project will contribute toward economic geography theorizing by moving beyond industrial demography and case studies through its analysis of many firms and the effect of their actions on the larger industry. The project also will have policy implications, which will emerge from the analysis of firm adjustments to changes in their external environment.