New technologies more widely adopted with government support

A new study co-authored by Associate Professor Diana Mangalagiu reveals the factors that incentivise ‘positive tipping points’ – encouraging people to embrace new technologies.

The researchers focused on the transition to electric vehicles in Norway and Germany, and the adoption of photovoltaic panels in the German energy sector, as case studies.

Their findings highlight three core factors that incentivise widespread adoption of cleaner technologies:

1. New technologies should be presented as far superior to existing alternatives. This addresses common preferences for maintaining the status quo, rooted in people’s anxieties about the possible negative impacts of embracing change
2. Governments should demonstrate support by offering incentives for adopting cleaner technologies, especially financial subsidies
3. Abundant infrastructure must be built to accommodate the needs of people using new technologies. Mangalagiu and her colleagues suggest insufficient charging points for electric vehicles is one hurdle stopping more people from purchasing them

“When these three critical levers align, an innovation may embark on a virtuous cycle: the take-up rate of the new technology rises, it is perceived positively by a growing number of people, it becomes easier to access, the infrastructure is adapted to support it, and so forth,” says Mangalagiu.

For instance, the researchers observe that tax incentives in Norway have signalled consistent support for electric vehicles since the 1990s. This has fostered trust in the new technology, creating demand for more extensive infrastructure supporting electric vehicles compared to Germany, where support has fluctuated due to lobbying by the German car industry.

This research was published in the journal Global Environmental Change.