Public Policy for Climate Innovation

Catalog description

This course considers the form and content that climate innovation policies should take as well as implementation strategies to help climate tech companies cross the proverbial "valley of death". The course begins with an evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of different regulatory approaches to environmental innovation, such as technology forcing standards, command and control oversight, subsidies, carbon taxes and choice architecture "nudges". Subsequently, specific examples of global and national regulatory dynamics that affect technology development are discussed in areas such as renewable energy, energy storage, solid waste reduction, food production, cement and steel production, hydrogen, autonomous/ electric vehicles, shipping, and the fashion industry. Relevant experiences of different countries will be presented including Danish policies to encourage a local wind-turbine industry, German programs to expand solar energy and Israeli government initiatives to foster sustainable Watech and Food tech companies. Potential outcomes of the recently enacted the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act will then be considered. The final section of the course involves analysis of specific case studies assessing Climate Tech companies in different stages of their development. Students will research a range of clean tech companies' experience and consider the way policies affect their business plans, financing, research portfolios and ultimate success or failure. The course will be based on instructor's lectures, interactive, virtual presentations by climate tech managers, and presentation of group projects.