scholarly journals California's approach to decarbonizing the electricity sector and the role of dispatchable, low-carbon technologies

2022 ◽  
Vol 113 ◽  
pp. 103527
Author(s):  
Ejeong Baik ◽  
Kais Siala ◽  
Thomas Hamacher ◽  
Sally M. Benson
Keyword(s):  
Electricity Sector ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Low Carbon Technologies

scholarly journals Energy transitions and uncertainty: Creating low carbon investment opportunities in the UK electricity sector

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 1387-1403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronan Bolton ◽  
Timothy J Foxon ◽  
Stephen Hall
Keyword(s):  
Electricity Markets ◽  
Electricity Market ◽  
Capital Intensity ◽  
Electricity Sector ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
The Face ◽  
Incumbent Regime ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Low Carbon Technologies

This paper examines how actors in the UK electricity sector are attempting to deliver investment in low carbon generation. Low carbon technologies, because of their relative immaturity, capital intensity and low operational costs, do not readily fit with existing electricity markets and investment templates which were designed for fossil fuel based energy. We analyse key electricity market and infrastructure policies in the UK and highlight how these are aimed at making low carbon technologies ‘investable’ by reducing uncertainty, managing investment risks and repositioning actors within the electricity socio-technical ‘regime’. We argue that our study can inform contemporary debates on the politics and governance of sustainability transitions by empirically investigating the agency of incumbent regime actors in the face of uncertainty and by offering critical insights on the role of markets and finance in shaping socio-technical change.

scholarly journals Carbon Pricing and Complementary Policies—Consistency of the Policy Mix for Decarbonizing Buildings in Germany

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (21) ◽  
pp. 7143
Author(s):  
Sibylle Braungardt ◽  
Veit Bürger ◽  
Benjamin Köhler
Keyword(s):  
Policy Instruments ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Electricity Sector ◽  
Transport Sector ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Policy Mix ◽  
Carbon Pricing ◽  
Pricing Scheme ◽  
Low Carbon Energy

While it is widely acknowledged that carbon pricing plays an important role in driving the transition towards a low-carbon energy system, its interaction with complementary instruments is discussed controversially. The analysis of combining carbon pricing with complementary policies has been mostly focused on the electricity sector, while the role of carbon pricing in the buildings sector has received only minor interest. In view of the newly introduced carbon pricing scheme for the buildings and transport sector in Germany, we analyze the interactions between the carbon pricing scheme with the existing policy instruments and assess the consistency of the policy mix for decarbonizing the buildings sector. Our analysis finds that the introduction of carbon pricing has a reinforcing effect on the instrument mix and adds to the consistency of the policy mix. The results highlight the importance of complementary policies in order to achieve deep decarbonization in the buildings sector. We conclude that carbon pricing, preferably implemented as a tax with a predictable and increasing price level, needs to be supplemented with a powerful mix of complementary measures.

scholarly journals Optimal Energy Portfolios in the Electricity Sector: Trade-Offs and Interplay Between Different Flexibility Options

2021 ◽  
pp. 177-198
Author(s):  
Steffi Schreiber ◽  
Christoph Zöphel ◽  
Dominik Möst
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Electricity Sector ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
System Transformation ◽  
Need For Power ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Optimal Mix ◽  
Low Carbon Technologies ◽  
Flexibility Options

AbstractThe expansion of renewable energy sources (RES) and the electrification of demand side sectors raise the need for power system flexibility. The following model-based analysis illustrates the complexity of the European energy system transformation with pathways regarding the RES expansion, sector coupling, and different levels of flexibility provision. Differences occur concerning the optimal mix of flexibility options between the moderate and ambitious climate target scenarios. Dispatchable back-up capacities are necessary, also in presence of high RES shares. Here, CO2 prices influence the role of low-carbon technologies. Due to cross-sectoral interactions, energy storages have a limited value. For the ambitious scenarios, the emission reductions come close to the Green Deal targets of the European Commission, while levelized costs of electricity increase moderately compared to the less ambitious scenario.

scholarly journals WHAT TO EXPECT FROM SECTORAL TRADING: A US-CHINA EXAMPLE

2011 ◽  
Vol 02 (01) ◽  
pp. 9-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
CLAIRE GAVARD ◽  
NIVEN WINCHESTER ◽  
HENRY JACOBY ◽  
SERGEY PALTSEV
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Electricity Sector ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Cap And Trade ◽  
Us Economy ◽  
Early Action ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Low Carbon Technologies

In the recent United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations, sectoral trading was proposed to encourage early action and spur investment in low carbon technologies in developing countries. This mechanism involves including a sector from one or more nations in an international cap-and-trade system. We analyze trade in carbon permits between the Chinese electricity sector and a US economy-wide cap-and-trade program using the MIT Emissions Prediction and Policy Analysis (EPPA) model. In 2030, the US purchases permits valued at $42 billion from China, which represents 46% of its capped emissions. In China, sectoral trading increases the price of electricity and reduces aggregate electricity generation, especially from coal. However, sectoral trading induces only moderate increases in generation from nuclear and renewables. We also observe increases in emission from other sectors. In the US, the availability of cheap emissions permits reduces the cost of climate policy and increases electricity generation.

Towards a Political Economy Framework for Wind Power

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael R. Davidson ◽  
Fredrich Kahrl ◽  
Valerie J. Karplus
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Wind Power ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Electricity Sector ◽  
Policy Support ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Power Development ◽  
Low Carbon Energy ◽  
Wind Power Development

The authors propose a general taxonomy of the political economy challenges to wind power development and integration, highlighting the implications in terms of actors, interests, and risks. Applying this framework to three functions in China’s electricity sector—planning and project approval, generator cost recovery, and balancing area coordination—the authors find evidence of challenges common across countries with significant wind investments, despite institutional and industry characteristics that are unique to China. The authors argue that resolving these political economy challenges is as important to facilitating the role of wind and other renewable energies in a low-carbon energy transition as providing dedicated technical and energy policy support. China is no exception.

scholarly journals The role of industrial processes in the reduction of selected greenhouse gases emission

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 28-31
Author(s):  
Maciej Sadowski ◽  
Anna Romańczak ◽  
Iwona Kargulewicz
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gases ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Industrial Processes ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Upward Trend ◽  
Voluntary Programs ◽  
Cement Production ◽  
Policies And Measures ◽  
Low Carbon Technologies

Abstract The paper presents an analysis of the selected anthropogenic greenhouse gases (GHG) emission sources in industrial processes, as well as the mitigation policies and measures in Annex I Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. [Text of the United Nations … 1992].The main gas in this category is carbon dioxide, but several countries have a dominant share of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) with a clear upward trend in their emissions. In Poland, the majority of the GHG emissions from industrial processes come from three categories: refrigeration and air-conditioning (HFCs), cement production (CO2) and ammonia production (CO2). An analysis of the policies and measures implemented or planned in this group of countries shows that voluntary programs and agreements among governments and stakeholders are the most effective. A crucial element of the voluntary programs is the support to assist enterprises in the transition to the best low carbon technologies and practices.

scholarly journals System Dynamics Modelling of the Power Sector in Mauritius

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prakash N. K. Deenapanray ◽  
Andrea M. Bassi
Keyword(s):  
System Dynamics ◽  
Electricity Sector ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Environmental Aspects ◽  
Power Sector ◽  
Historical Trends ◽  
Development Indicators ◽  
Utility Company ◽  
Complex Interactions

Abstract A system dynamics model has been developed for the power sector of Mauritius, which captures a range of complex interactions between the economic, social and environmental aspects of the national economy, with deeper emphasis on the role of energy in these interactions. The model has been validated by replicating the historical trends of key development indicators, and its results were compared to the projections of the national utility company. The validation process shows that the model provides a faithful representation of the actual electricity sector of Mauritius, and can be easily adapted to the use of different assumptions. This paper describes the main characteristics of the model and its results as compared to electricity demand projections carried out by the Central Electricity Board to 2022. The results suggest that further analysis could be done to test alternative low carbon investment scenarios.

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