Based on representative firm-level data for the three countries Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, we investigate the effects
of energy-related regulations, taxes, voluntary agreements, and subsidies on the creation of green energy products, and analyze
through which channels policy affects green product innovation and which factors mediate the observed effects. Policy may
affect green product innovation by directly stimulating the supply of green products/services, or more indirectly by stimulating
the demand for green products/services. Our data set allows us to distinguish between the two channels, which improves our
understanding of the frequently observed positive net effect of policies. Controlling for the demand-side effect, taxes and
regulations are negatively related with green product innovation. Hence, if taxes and regulation do not trigger additional
demand, they decrease the propensity to innovate. These effects are ameliorated for technologically very advanced firms and
for firms with a high level of financial awareness. Subsidies and (partly) voluntary agreements are positively related with
green product innovation.