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

这项研究为地方政府在技术开发、实施和传播中的作用提供了重要的见解。ARRA资金的很大一部分流向地方政府，以解决具体和适用的当地问题，如实施可再生能源和替代燃料、节能、新的交通技术，以及扩大智能电网能源传输系统。尽管有大量文献研究了从联邦政府或大学与私营公司的合作伙伴关系中成功转让技术的因素，但考察地方政府在这些合作中的作用的研究要少得多。史无前例的ARRA战略将大量技术资金引导到地方政府，而不是直接提供给公司、研究所和大学，可以用来揭示科学和技术政策中一个相对未知的领域。这种方法的成功很可能取决于地方政府在多大程度上拥有管理能源项目的内部能力，以及在多大程度上出现正式和非正式的合作关系。这项研究考察了哪些因素导致了开发、促进和实施新能源技术所必需的伙伴关系和合作关系的发展。它还考察了信息和技术创新如何在地方政府系统中传播和传播。PI的分析基于对制度性集体行动的交易成本解释。更好地了解科学投资如何促进建立政策网络和其他形式的跨部门合作，可能会对地方政府的运作产生重大而深远的影响。更广泛的影响：该项目利用一个独特的机会收集基线数据，这些数据可用于评估科学投资对协作和创新的影响。这些数据为今后调查地方政府和其他行为者之间的技术知识传播情况提供了重要基础。与调查地方政府内部的地方协作网络在促进协作方面的作用有关的见解可用于为地方、州和联邦各级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，并为他们未来为科学政策做出贡献做好准备。

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.