National Policies, Recent Research Hotspots, and Application of Sustainable Energy: Case of China, USA, and European Countries

Abstract

This study tracks the variety of nations dealing with the issue of energy transition. Through process tracing and a cross-national case study, a comparison of energy policies, research hotspots, and technical aspects of three sustainable energy systems (solar cells, recharge batteries, and hydrogen production) was conducted. We provide an overview of the climate-change political process and identify three broad patterns in energy-related politics in the United States, China, and Europe (energy neo-liberalism, authoritarian environmentalism, and integrated-multinational negotiation). The core processes and optimization strategies to improve the efficiency of sustainable energy usage are analyzed. This study provides both empirical and theoretical contributions to research on energy transitions.