Welfare of Government - Essay Example

Introduction Innovations in technology are important to the future welfare of governments because they have the capa to protract economic development, improve the living standards of the citizens and enhance human health .The governments in contemporary industrialized nations utilize various techniques in promoting and shaping developments in technology. This paper discusses the ways in which various governments influence the process of innovation and technological developments, and ways in which the government approaches can help achieve sustainable levels of energy use. Innovation and the Government Governments across the globe support technological innovations, including their creation and demonstration, to give confidence and promote the private investors in their countries to adopt these new technologies. Governments will get involved in innovations through initiating technological research, development and demonstration projects in which they offer wide financial support. Further, governments support innovations and technological developments in their nations through subsidizing programs that support these developments (Deutch 2005). The governments have acknowledged that innovation is the process through which they can effectively achieve technical change. The governments are actively involved in the initial step of innovation, which is the creation of technology in their countries. This is often accomplished through supporting the discovery of new technologies and sciences. As earlier mentioned governments together with the help of the private sector and other foundations, sponsor and fund the discovery activities (Deutch 2005). The research and development activities are performed in industries, hospitals, universities as well as laboratories. Governments also help to deploy new discoveries of science and technology in business enterprises or society. Governments encounter challenges in technological changes when deploying new technological innovations because of the uncertain investment decisions involved, the changes involved in the production process with the personnel and customizing these new products or services to meet the needs and the demands of the customers (Deutch 2005). Government Energy Policy Options The governments are greatly concerned with the energy sector and its policies across the globe. The governments’ involvement in energy policies is because energy is a very significant aspect of the economy. The availability, the pricing and the efficiency of energy in all countries affects the performance of the economy. In addition, energy use significantly affects the environment, more specifically the global climate change, which must be addressed by the governments. In certain governments, such as the United States, the reliance on imported oil, and progressively more gas, has essential security implications for the country as well as its partners (Deutch 2005). Most of the global energy policies for various governments are a shift from nuclear dominated power to renewable energy because of their capacity to be environmentally sustainable. Options in energy policy are defined by security of the energy, the reduced costs and alternatives that aim at promoting sustainable environment across the globe. This renewable energy policy options can be achieved by governments reducing their dependence on the nuclear powering their medium and long-term policy plans (Maeda 2012). More important, the governments should enhance the safety of energy in their countries. Moreover, to achieve environmentally sustainable use of energy levels, the governments ought to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels, and reduce the levels of carbon monoxide emissions into the atmosphere (Maeda 2012). Support Options Governments can support the technological innovations through setting the regulations and rules that govern the innovation activities. This will enable the innovations and influence the performance of the process. The support options by the governments include creating patents and intellectual property rights for all innovative publications. The standards should also be set and published by the governments to ensure that they do not violate the environmentally sustainable levels of energy use policies already set (Deutch 2005). The governments are also required to educate the professionals involved in the process of technological innovations on the need to have environmentally sustainable energy level use in their countries despite the new discoveries. Governments that properly lay guidelines to direct their innovations towards promoting environmentally sustainable energy level use are more likely to succeed in this mission (Deutch 2005). The government ought to support the creation of innovative technology through supporting technological creations. The government can ensure that the public does not suffer from environmentally unsustainable innovations, which will not optimally benefit the society. This stage can influence positively the innovation process (Deutch 2005). Governments fund research and innovations to enhance the scientific knowledge in their countries. Consequently, governments implement policies concerning taxation, intellectual property rights, finance, antitrust and science education to establish a favourable environment to technological innovations and subsequent commercialization. The government policies on the technological innovations aim at addressing the economy of their countries in general instead of letting individuals and organizations to control the economy (U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment 1995). Supporting Renewable Energy in the UK The government of the United Kingdom (UK) has increasingly funded the technologies aimed at creating renewable energy. As a result, innovations and supply of renewable energy technologies have improved. This move promotes environmental sustainability throughout the country. The government increasingly expands the renewable energy supply in the country because it is essential to the goal of the nation to effectively respond to the challenge of climatic change and realize energy supplies’ security (Morse 2010). The UK government has put in place arrangements, which offer financial support for innovations in renewable energy technologies to promote innovation and consumption in this area. Innovations are directly supported by taxpayers’ money to enhance and promote renewable energy technology in research, development, demonstration and deployment. Individuals and institutions interested in such innovations are given grants, equity investments and loans to support their activities (Morse 2010). Furthermore, the government has in place regulatory and financial measures supported by the consumers and the energy industry. The government has instituted measures that compel licensed suppliers of electricity to seek yearly growing proportion of electricity generated from renewable energy sources. These measures are significant in helping the country realize the deployment levels needed to accomplish the set targets (Morse 2010). Impacts of the UK Support Schemes The support schemes have helped several projects and programs, which would have failed in the absence of the support, and they have also positively contributed to the realization of the targets set by the stakeholders. Some of the support schemes have helped to increase the installed electricity generating ability of the renewable energy by approximately a gigawatt. This contribution is equated to a 14% increase in renewable energy generating potential in the country as from 2008 (Morse 2010). The schemes that have supported projects towards innovation have advanced the renewable energy innovations and technologies in UK. For instance, such support has helped establish new patents for the technological innovations. Development and use of new IP via technology innovation programs are important in enhancing and supporting the increased technology development, subsequently generating commercial advantage to the nation (Morse 2010). The schemes have resulted in development of technologies like the installation and deployment of the prototype marine generator. Supporting the Complete Innovation Process The support that the government gave for renewable energy projects immensely contributed to the creation of employment opportunities in the country for unemployed people. The general objective of the renewable energy project innovations is to help steer the economic growth of the country through sustainable means. This may not be the major goal of these technological innovations in renewable energy sector, but they have also helped in developing the economy and strengthening it in various ways (Morse 2010). The government of UK is committed to increasing the capacity of renewable energy installed in the country. It helps to protect the consumers in the country from fluctuations in the prices of other energy alternatives. The government also assist in driving investments in new employment opportunities and business ventures in the sector of renewable energy (Morse 2010). Conclusion The governments across the globe have immense influence in innovation processes and technological developments because of the effects of these processes on the national economies. The policies and regulations can be used to discourage innovations that are not environmentally sustainable. To promote innovations that promote environmental sustainability, the governments can institute measures to reward individuals and institutions travelling this path and punish those not compliant with the regulatory measures. Such measures have helped to develop the economy through creating employment opportunities besides promoting technological innovation in energy sector. References Deutch, J 2005, What Should the Government Do To Encourage Technical Change in the Energy Sector?, Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change, Cambridge, MA. Maeda, R 2012, Japan presents 3 energy policy options for debate, Reuters . Morse, A 2010, Government funding for developing renewable energy technologies, UK for the Stationery Office Limited, London. U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment 1995, Innovation and Commercialization of Emerging Technology, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, DC. Read More