Green innovation strategies and firms' internationalization.

This article investigates the impact of green innovation strategies—defined as firm objectives aimed at reducing energy consumption, raw materials use, or environmental impact—on the internationalization of Spanish firms, specifically their likelihood to enter and persist in export markets. Using panel data from the Spanish Panel de Innovación Tecnológica (PITEC) covering 2011–2016, the study finds that firms engaging in green innovations have a statistically significant premium in the probability of becoming exporters and continuing to export, both within Europe and to non-European markets. The effect is more pronounced for firms in cleaner industries and is stronger for maintaining export status than for initial market entry. These findings suggest that green innovation complements firms' competitiveness and international expansion strategies independently of regulatory compliance, with implications for policies that promote eco-innovation alongside international trade facilitation.