Commercializing clean technology innovations: The emergence of new business in an agency-structure perspective

Abstract

Since the 1970s, environment and energy-related problems have moved to centre stage on many political, business and research agendas. The notion of sustainable development has emerged as the dominant global discourse to adapt societies and economies to novel modes of production and consumption in areas such as transport, energy, housing, agriculture and food. For such shifts, new technology and technological change is considered of critical importance. In other words, clean technology (cleantech) is seen as indispensable to solve or at least abate an environmental and energy crisis without abandoning possibilities for progress and economic growth. This, however, does not imply that sustainab..