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on Energy Economics |
| By: | Thure Traber; Claudia Kemfert |
| Keywords: | Electricity market modeling, start-up costs, wind energy, oligopoly, Germany |
| JEL: | C63 L13 L94 Q42 |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:diw:diwwpp:dp852&r=ene |
| By: | Munro, Alistair; Valente, Marieta |
| Abstract: | An impure public good is a commodity that combines public and private characteristics in fixed proportions. Green goods such as dolphin-friendly tuna or green electricity programs provide increasings popular examples of impure goods. We design an experiment to test how the presence of impure public goods affects pro-social behaviour. We set parameters, such that from a theoretical point of view the presence of the impure public good is behaviorally irrelevant. In a baseline setting, where the impure public good provides only small contributions to the public good. We observe that on aggregate pro-social behaviour, defined as total contributions to the public good, is lower in the presence of the impure good. Some individuals do not alter their decisions, but roughly two fifths of subjects make a lower contribution to the public good in the presence of the impure public good. On the contrary, in the case where the impure public good favours the public good component at the expense of private earnings, individuals are unaffected in their behaviour. We conclude that the presence of green goods which have only a small environmental component may reduce pro-environmental behaviour. |
| Keywords: | green goods; impure public goods; pro-social behaviour; social norms; experimental economics |
| JEL: | Q50 H41 D64 C91 |
| Date: | 2008–10–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:13024&r=ene |
| By: | JAVIER CARRILLO (Instituto de Empresa) |
| Abstract: | System transitions are complex societal co-evolutionary processes that are typically led by gradual adaptation rather than visionary management or coordination. Still, visionary coordination of policies, regulation, corporate strategies and social learning may overcome some barriers and foster new innovation efforts providing sufficient impetus towards system transition. This paper addresses ´system transition´ as a valuable perspective and develops a framework for analysing Nordic energy system research and governance. The framework integrates different transitions phases, levels and dimensions and combines them with the governance functions to provide overarching frames for understanding |
| Keywords: | Innovación , Techno-institutional lock-in |
| Date: | 2008–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:emp:wpaper:wp08-31&r=ene |
| By: | Vincent Rious (SUPELEC-Campus Gif - SUPELEC); Jean-Michel Glachant (ADIS - Analyse des Dynamiques Industrielles et Sociales - Université Paris Sud - Paris XI, LdP - Loyola de Palacio Programme - European University Institute); Yannick Perez (ADIS - Analyse des Dynamiques Industrielles et Sociales - Université Paris Sud - Paris XI, LdP - Loyola de Palacio Programme - European University Institute); Philippe Dessante (SUPELEC-Campus Gif - SUPELEC) |
| Abstract: | Cet article analyse comment s'organise la coordination à long terme entre la production et le transport dans un système électrique libéralisé. Nous nous appuyons sur un cadre d'analyse modulaire afin de séparer les mécanismes de coordination entre la production et le transport d'électricité en modules distincts. La structure de gouvernance du réseau de transport complète ce cadre d'analyse. Nous montrons alors que, dans une logique de complémentarité, cette structure de gouvernance influence les options de gestion des flux effectivement mises en oeuvre par les GRT. Bien que les signaux de localisation soient nécessaires afin de guider l'installation de nouveaux moyens de production, la structure de gouvernance explique alors que l'investissement en réseau peut être le seul procédé effectif de coordination à long terme entre production et transport. |
| Keywords: | rôle de l’investissement réseaux ; coordination entre production et transport d’électricité dans les systèmes électriques libéralisés |
| Date: | 2008–09–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-00344567_v1&r=ene |
| By: | Yves Crozet (LET - Laboratoire d'économie des transports - CNRS : UMR5593 - Université Lumière - Lyon II - Ecole Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'Etat) |
| Abstract: | « La mobilité des personnes et des marchandises va-t-elle se trouver contrainte par une « tyrannie des grandes décisions », une « tyrannie climatique » remettant en cause nos modes de vie ? ». La réponse va sans dire eu égard à l’objectif fixé à l’horizon 2050 de diviser par quatre les émissions de gaz à effet de serre par rapport au niveau de 1990. De telles ambitions semblent a priori démesurées compte tenu de la progression prévisible de la mobilité des biens et des personnes à l’horizon 2050. Est-il réaliste de se donner de telles contraintes ? Le prix à payer sous forme de remise en cause des comportements de mobilité ne sera-t-il pas trop élevé ? Sans prétendre à clore le débat, les lignes qui suivent cherchent à donner, dans le secteur des transports, un contenu concret à l’objectif général de division par quatre des émissions de CO2. Cette contrainte globale peut-elle être satisfaite par les seuls progrès techniques que nous annoncent les ingénieurs ? Ou serons-nous obligés de modifier nos comportements de mobilité ? Et si oui, dans quelle proportion ?-----------------------------------------------Cet article vous est proposé avec l'aimable autorisation de l’auteur et de l'éditeur, l’Institut de la Décentralisation. La présente version en PDF est sous le copyright de l’Institut de la Décentralisation (http://idecentralisation.asso.fr/) - 2008. Ce document est protégé en vertu de la loi du droit d'auteur. |
| Keywords: | comportement de mobilité ; comportement de déplacement ; réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre ; changement climatique ; facteur 4 ; études 2050 ; scénarios |
| Date: | 2008 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-00302552_v1&r=ene |
| By: | Nguyen Manh Hung (Département économique, Université Laval, Quebec, Canada G1W 4R9); Nguyen Van Quyen (Département de science économique, Université d'Ottawa, 55 Laurier E, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 6N5) |
| Abstract: | This paper shows that for a time-independent specific tax and a time-independent ad valorem tax that induce the same competitive equilibrium in the Hotelling model of resource extraction, the ad valorem tax yields a higher level of discounted tax revenues than the specific tax. Moreover, given the same level of discounted tax revenues, the ad valorem tax also yields a higher level of social welfare. Finally, for the time-dependent schedules of optimal ad valorem tax and optimal specific tax, we show that when appropriately set, they are equivalent in implementing the dynamic social optimum and providing the same discounted tax revenues. |
| Keywords: | Non-renewable Resources, Ad Valorem Tax, Specific Tax, Welfare |
| JEL: | H21 Q30 |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dpc:wpaper:0309&r=ene |
| By: | Krikke, H.R.; Zuidwijk, R. (Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research) |
| Abstract: | This paper addresses the impact of disposition choices on the energy use of closed-loop supply chains. In a life cycle perspective, energy used in the forward chain which is locked up in the product is recaptured in recovery. High quality recovery replaces virgin production and thereby saves energy. This so called substitution effect is often ignored. Governments worldwide implement Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Policies are based on recovery quota and not effective from an energy point of view. This in turn leads to unnecessary emissions of amongst others CO2. This research evaluates current EPR policies and presents six policy alternatives from an energy standpoint. The Pareto-frontier model used is generic and can be applied to other closed loops supply chains under EPR, exploiting the substitution effect. The measures modeled are applied to five WEEE cases. We discuss results, pros an cons of various alternatives and complementary measures that might be taken. |
| Keywords: | extended producer responsibility;disposition;energy perspective;substitution effect;government policies;Pareto efficiency |
| JEL: | Q28 K32 C61 |
| Date: | 2008 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dgr:kubcen:200874&r=ene |
| By: | Naohisa Hirakata (Associate Director, Financial Systems and Bank Examination Department, Bank of Japan (E-mail: naohisa.hirakata@boj.or.jp)); Nao Sudo (Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies, Bank of Japan (E-mail: nao.sudou@boj.or.jp)) |
| Abstract: | Recent empirical studies reveal that the oil price-output relationship is weakening in the US. Oil price-output correlation is less negative, and output reduction in response to oil price rise is more moderate after mid 1980s. In contrast to the conventional view that there have been changes in the economic structures that have made output less responsive to oil price shocks, we show that what have changed are the sources of oil price variation. We develop a DSGE model where oil price and US output are endogenously determined by the exogenous movements of US TFP and the oil supply. Having no changes in economic structure, our model yields dynamics of the oil price and output that show a weakening in the oil price-output relationship. There are changes in the way that the exogenous variables evolve. Two changes are important. First, oil supply variation has become moderate in recent years. Second, oil supply shortage is no longer followed by a large decline in TFP. We show that less volatile oil supply variation results in less negative oil price- output correlations, and a smaller TFP decline during oil supply shortfall implies a smaller output decline during oil price increases. |
| Keywords: | Oil Price Accounting, DSGE Model, Total Factor Productivity (TFP) |
| JEL: | E32 E37 Q41 |
| Date: | 2009–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ime:imedps:09-e-01&r=ene |
| By: | Bermingham, Colin (Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland) |
| Abstract: | The substantial increase in oil prices over the past six or seven years has provoked considerable comment within the international media. While this increase has not had quite the same impact as that experienced in the 1970's, the magnitude of the price increases still has significant implications from a macroeconomic perspective. This is particularly the case in terms of inflation. The re-emergence of the oil price issue necessitates a re-examination of econometric estimates of the influence of oil prices on inflation. We examine this issue in the case of a small open economy - that of Ireland. |
| Date: | 2008–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cbi:wpaper:8/rt/08&r=ene |
| By: | Hengyun Ma; Les Oxley (University of Canterbury); John Gibson |
| Abstract: | Many are interested in China’s energy situation, however, numerous energy related issues in China still remain unanswered, for example, what are the potential forces driving energy demand and supply? Previous reviews focused only on fossil fuel based energy and ignored other important elements including renewable and ‘clean’ energy sources. The work presented here is intended to fill this gap by bringing the research on fossil-based and renewable energy economic studies together and identifying the potential drivers behind both energy demand and supply to provide a complete picture of China’s energy situation in the new millennium. This will be of interest to anyone concerned with the development of China’s economy in general and the energy economy, in particular. |
| Keywords: | China; Energy; Fossil fuels; Renewable Energy |
| JEL: | D24 O33 Q41 |
| Date: | 2009–01–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cbt:econwp:09/01&r=ene |
| By: | Benchekroun, H.; Ray Chaudhuri, A. (Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research) |
| Abstract: | We show that an environmental regulation such as a tax on pollution can act as a collusive device and induce stable cartelization in an oligopolistic polluting industry. We consider a dynamic game where pollution is allowed to accumulate into a stock over time and a cartel that includes all the firms in the industry. We show that a tax on pollution emissions can make it unprofitable for any firm to leave the cartel. Moreover the cartel formation can diminish the welfare gain from environmental regulation. We provide an example where social welfare under environmental regulation and collusion of firms is below social welfare under a laisser-faire policy. |
| Keywords: | pollution tax;oligopoly;cartel formation;coalition formation;differential game |
| JEL: | H41 L51 Q58 |
| Date: | 2008 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dgr:kubcen:200880&r=ene |
| By: | Keith Smith (Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture, University of Oslo) |
| Abstract: | Although the impacts of greenhouse gas build-up remain uncertain, they have the potential to be very serious and possibly catastrophic. If the outcomes are serious then neither improving energy efficiency nor adaptation policies will cope with the problems of warming. Reducing climate impacts without impeding economic development will require new low or zero emissions energy carriers and associated technologies. This paper argues that current innovation policy initiatives aim at only limited dimensions of energy technology: they either promote incremental change in existing technologies, or improving performance in existing renewable alternatives. They will neither induce fundamental innovation in carrier technologies, nor change the basic technological regime of hydrocarbon production, distribution and use. For this, more radical „mission-oriented? programmes are necessary. In turn, these will require new policy instruments and methods, new roles for government, and new dimensions of international collaboration and global governance of innovation strategies. |
| Date: | 2009–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tik:inowpp:20090101&r=ene |
| By: | Lucas W. Davis; Lutz Kilian |
| Abstract: | Several policymakers and economists have proposed the adoption of a carbon tax in the United States. It is widely recognized that such a tax in practice must take the form of a tax on the consumption of energy products such as gasoline. Although a large existing literature examines the sensitivity of gasoline consumption to changes in price, these estimates may not be appropriate for evaluating the effectiveness of such a tax. First, most of these studies fail to address the endogeneity of gasoline prices. Second, the responsiveness of gasoline consumption to a change in tax may differ from the responsiveness of consumption to an average change in price. We address these challenges using a variety of methods including traditional single-equation regression models, estimated by least squares or instrumental variables methods, and structural vector autoregressions. We compare the results from these approaches, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each. Our preferred approach exploits the historical variation in U.S. federal and state gasoline taxes. Our most credible estimates imply that a 10 cent per gallon increase in the gasoline tax would reduce U.S. gasoline consumption by 4% and reduce total U.S. carbon emissions by about 1%. We conclude that there is no statistical evidence that a gasoline tax increase of the magnitude recently contemplated by policymakers would reduce carbon emissions enough to reach the targets described by the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2007. |
| JEL: | C53 Q41 Q48 |
| Date: | 2009–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:14685&r=ene |
| By: | Kverndokk, Snorre (Ragnar Frisch Centre for Economic Research); Rose , Adam (Energy Institute and School of Policy, Planning, and Development) |
| Abstract: | Many countries are implementing or at least considering policies to counter increasingly certain negative impacts from climate change. An increasing amount of research has been devoted to the analysis of the costs of climate change and its mitigation, as well as to the design of policies, such as the international Kyoto Protocol, post-Kyoto negotiations, regional initiatives, and unilateral actions. Although most studies on climate change policies in economics have considered efficiency aspects, there is a growing literature on equity and justice. Climate change policy has important dimensions of distributive justice, both within and across generations, but in this paper we survey only studies on the intragenerational aspect, i.e.., within a generation. We cover several domains including the international, regional, national, sectoral and inter-personal, and examine aspects such as the distribution of burdens from climate change, climate change policy negotiations in general, implementation of climate agreements using tradable emission permits, and the uncertainty of alternatives to emission reductions. |
| Keywords: | Economics of climate change; intragenerational equity; distributive justice |
| JEL: | D62 D63 H23 H41 Q00 |
| Date: | 2008–09–25 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:osloec:2008_021&r=ene |
| By: | Kunz, Laura; Muller, Adrian (Socioeconomic Institute, University of Zurich) |
| Abstract: | We analyse CO2 emissions reduction costs based on project data from the Climate Cent Foundation (CCF), a climate policy instrument in Switzerland. We draw four conclusions. First, for the projects investigated, the CCF on average pays € 63/t. Due to the Kyoto Protocol, the CCF buys reductions until 2012 only. This cutoff increases reported per ton reduction costs, as the additional lifetime project costs are set in relation to reductions until 2012 only, rather than to reductions realised over the whole lifetime. Lifetime reduction costs are € 45/t. Second, correlation between CCF’s payments and lifetime reduction costs per ton is low. Projects with low per ton reduction costs should thus be identified based on lifetime per ton reduction costs. Third, the wide range of project costs per ton observed casts doubts on the widely used identification of the merit order of reduction measures based on average per ton costs for technology types. Finally, the CCF covers only a fraction of additional reduction costs. Decisions to take reduction efforts thus depend on additional, non-observable and/or non-economic motives. Any generalisation of results has to consider that this analysis is based<p> |
| Keywords: | abatement cost curve; Climate Cent Foundation; climate policy; emissions reduction; mitigation costs |
| JEL: | D24 Q40 Q52 Q54 |
| Date: | 2009–01–20 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:gunwpe:0342&r=ene |
| By: | Simla Tokgoz (Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD); Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI)) |
| Abstract: | The objective of this study is to analyze the impact of crude oil prices on the EU agricultural sector in an era when the biofuels sector is expanding because of policy initiatives and the desire to find alternative fuel sources. To this end, first a baseline is set up for the EU ethanol, grain, and dried distillers grains markets. In the next step, two different scenarios are run. The first scenario incorporates a 10-Euros-per-barrel increase in the EU crude oil price with the ethanol import tariffs in place. The second scenario incorporates the same shock with the ethanol import tariffs removed. In the first scenario, higher crude oil prices increase ethanol consumption, production, and therefore grain prices. In the second scenario, the impact of trade liberalisation is larger than the impact of the higher crude oil price. So, grain prices decline in this scenario despite an expansion in ethanol consumption. If there were a high enough crude oil price shock, which would affect the EU ethanol market more than trade liberalisation, the net impact on grain, feed, and food prices from the crude oil price shock would be mitigated by the increased trade from trade liberalisation. The study shows that the impact of energy prices on the EU agricultural sector is increasing with the emergence of the biofuels sector. It also illustrates the importance of trade policy in responding to higher crude oil and grain prices. |
| Keywords: | bioeconomic models, energy, trade analysis and policy. |
| Date: | 2009–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ias:cpaper:09-wp485&r=ene |
| By: | Muller, Adrian (Socioeconomic Institute, University of Zurich) |
| Abstract: | Organic Agriculture (OA) as an adaptation strategy (AS) to Climate Change (CC) is a concrete and promising option for adaptation in rural communities. OA has additional potential as a mitigation strategy (MS). This text is a short review note on this topic. Adaptation and mitigation based on OA can build on well-established practice as OA is a sustainable livelihood strategy with decades of experience in several climate zones and under a wide range of specific local conditions. Given the large fraction of rural population living on farming, the potential of this strategy to adapt to the adverse effects of CC and at the same time contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and to carbon sequestration is huge. The scope of the approach ranges from local to national – depending on the policy context it is embedded in. Finally, the financial requirements of OA as an AS or MS are low.<p> |
| Keywords: | adaptation; climate change; mitigation; organic agriculture; rural development; sustainable livelihoods; vulnerability |
| JEL: | Q10 Q54 Q56 |
| Date: | 2009–01–20 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:gunwpe:0343&r=ene |