“Technological innovation” has become a catch phrase of contemporary policy making for governments, corporations and academic organizations. For many it has become an article of faith that technological innovation is the key to solving energy transition and environmental problems, but the formula for success is not obvious. The phrase “science and technology” rolls off the tongues of energy related policymakers, managers and researchers spontaneously, as if this is the natural order of things, but why is the converse phrase “technology and science” so rarely encountered? The popular view appears to be that energy technology is applied energy science, or that technological change in the field of energy technologies flows naturally from scientific progress. However, what if popular preconceptions about the relationship between science and technology in the energy field are misplaced? This paper addresses the question of the fundamental relationship between technology and science by first analyzing historical cases of two representative energy-conversion technologies, then reviewing pertinent literature from the field of science, technology and society (STS) studies, and finally investigating empirically the nature of the relationship using statistical data analysis. It draws policy-making implications for investment in energy technology and science. We propose the hypothesis of technology-conditioned science as a plausible and credible counterweight to extant commonplace presumptions that science is the precursor of low-carbon energy-conversion technologies.

“技术创新”已成为当代政府、企业和学术组织制定政策的口号。对于许多人来说，技术创新是解决能源转型和环境问题的关键已成为一种信条，但成功的秘诀并不明显。“科技”这个词自发地从能源相关的决策者、管理者和研究人员的嘴里滚出来，仿佛这是事物的自然规律，但为什么“技术和科学”这个反义词却很少出现？流行的观点似乎是能源技术是应用能源科学，或者能源技术领域的技术变革自然而然地来自科学进步。然而，如果关于能源领域科学与技术关系的流行先入之见是错误的怎么办？本文首先分析了两种具有代表性的能量转换技术的历史案例，然后回顾了科学、技术和社会 (STS) 研究领域的相关文献，最后对技术与科学之间的基本关系问题进行了实证研究。使用统计数据分析的关系。它对能源技术和科学的投资产生了决策影响。我们提出 然后回顾科学、技术和社会 (STS) 研究领域的相关文献，最后使用统计数据分析实证调查这种关系的性质。它对能源技术和科学的投资产生了决策影响。我们提出 然后回顾科学、技术和社会 (STS) 研究领域的相关文献，最后使用统计数据分析实证调查这种关系的性质。它对能源技术和科学的投资产生了决策影响。我们提出以技术为条件的科学假设是对科学是低碳能源转换技术先驱的现有普遍假设的合理和可信的平衡。