Policy Translation and Energy Transition in China

Author(s):  
Jørgen Delman

China’s leadership is in the middle of overseeing a green transition of the Chinese energy system that aims to replace fossil fuels with clean energy. To move the energy transition ahead, there has been an acute need to continuously develop and adapt guiding policies and regulatory frameworks to stimulate the development of green technologies, complex reform solutions, and appropriate institutions. The responsible Chinese authorities and energy policy actors have chosen to collaborate with international partners to do this. They see Denmark as a best-practice learning case, and through a strategic government-to-government partnership, Denmark has gradually become one of China’s preferred strategic policy interlocutors on energy politics. This chapter examines the role of international policy learning and policy translation in energy policy design in China. It elaborates an analytical model to guide the analysis of policy translation practices, which views policy translation as a process of pragmatic, interactional, adaptive, solution-oriented collaborative efforts that combine a variety of tools to translate foreign energy policy meanings into Chinese energy politics.

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2819
Author(s):  
Han Phoumin ◽  
Fukunari Kimura ◽  
Jun Arima

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) faces tremendous challenges regarding the future energy landscape and how the energy transition will embrace a new architecture—including sound policies and technologies to ensure energy access together with affordability, energy security, and energy sustainability. Given the high share of fossil fuels in ASEAN’s current energy mix (oil, coal, and natural gas comprise almost 80%), the clean use of fossil fuels through the deployment of clean technologies is indispensable for decarbonizing ASEAN’s emissions. The future energy landscape of ASEAN will rely on today’s actions, policies, and investments to change the fossil fuel-based energy system towards a cleaner energy system, but any decisions and energy policy measures to be rolled out during the energy transition need to be weighed against potentially higher energy costs, affordability issues, and energy security risks. This paper employs energy modelling scenarios to seek plausible policy options for ASEAN to achieve more emissions reductions as well as energy savings, and to assess the extent to which the composition of the energy mix will be changed under various energy policy scenarios. The results imply policy recommendations for accelerating the share of renewables, adopting clean technologies and the clean use of fossil fuels, and investing in climate-resilient energy quality infrastructure.


Author(s):  
Jonas Nahm

A central feature of China’s energy politics is the coexistence of ambitious renewable energy policies and continued investments in fossil fuels. Building on key literature in Chinese politics, this chapter uses the politics of China’s clean energy transition as a central empirical case to show that contradictions inherent in China’s energy sector governance result from institutional fragmentation. Institutions for energy sector governance have created divergent incentives for central and local governments as well as various administrative agencies charged with energy policymaking, which explains the simultaneous pursuit of conflicting policy goals.


Mathematics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (15) ◽  
pp. 1787
Author(s):  
Pilar Gargallo ◽  
Luis Lample ◽  
Jesús A. Miguel ◽  
Manuel Salvador

This paper analyzes the co-movements of prices of fossil fuels, energy stock markets and EU allowances. This analysis is conducted in order to identify the spillover effect of volatility and correlation among these financial markets, and to provide a scientific basis that shows the interest of incorporating sustainable assets in the design of minimum risk strategies of investment. To achieve this goal, we have used a Vector Autoregressive-Dynamic Conditional Correlation-Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (VAR-DCC-GARCH) model that also incorporates a stock index of industrial companies as a leading indicator of the level of economic activity. In addition, the paper conducts an impulse response analysis to determine how unexpected shocks to prices are propagated along time, and, in particular, how they affect prices of the others, both in mean, variance and correlation. Therefore, the results of this one- and two-dimensional analysis allow for the study of short and long run dynamics of the relationship among those prices, thus, providing greater meaning and information for investors, which has implications for building their portfolios. The analyzed period was from January 2010 to February 2021, so that the data include half of phase II, full phase III and the onset of phase IV of the EU ETS, as well as the COVID-19 outbreak in the European context. We also analyzed whether the EUA price impulses the demand of clean energy stocks, which has important implications for the objective of triggering the investment in clean energy. Our results show the transmission mechanism of all of those prices, which are relevant not only for investors but also for policymakers to construct an early-warning system, revealing the most important transmission channels. Moreover, from an investment viewpoint, we observe a decline in dirty energies and a rise in the clean energy market, which might be an indication of the progress towards the energy transition to renewables sources within a circular economy perspective. Therefore, this shows that the EU ETS is achieving its goals, and that clean energy companies, aligned with their role towards socially responsible initiatives, are also gaining acceptance in terms of investments, which would be beneficial for the environment.


Author(s):  
Xenophon K. Kakatsios

As we enter the new century, new fuels may be required for both stationary power and transportation to ameliorate the triple threats of local air pollution, global climate change and dependence on unstable nations for imported oil. Shifting away from fossil fuels may be essential within decades if citizens in the developing world achieve even a significant fraction of the per capita energy consumption enjoyed by the industrial nations. Business-as-usual or evolutionary shifts in energy consumption patterns may not be adequate. New paradigms and new energy initiatives may be required to protect the environment while providing the energy services we have come to expect. Hydrogen could play a significant role as a clean energy carrier in the future for both stationary and transportation markets. Produced from renewable energy or nuclear power, hydrogen could become the backbone of a truly sustainable energy future – an energy system that consumes no non-renewable resources and creates no pollution or greenhouse gases of any type during operation. However, to achieve this potential, hydrogen must overcome serious economic, technological and safety perception barriers before it can displace fossil fuels as the primary energy carrier throughout the world. In this paper we explore the current status of hydrogen and fuel cell systems compared to other fuel options for reducing pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and suggest the introduction of hydrogen into the energy economy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 204-223
Author(s):  
Izzet Alp Gul ◽  
Gülgün Kayakutlu ◽  
M. Özgür Kayalica

Technological improvements allow changing a significant part of the electricity generation investments to renewable energies. Especially in emerging markets and energy import-dependent countries, shift to renewable energy generation became more important to break the links of dependency. Pakistan relies on imported fossil fuels; however, the country’s experience and ambition about the renewable energy transition gain prominence in recent years. Considering the long-term life cycle of energy infrastructure investments, possible risk factors and their dynamic nature must be analysed before the financial decisions are taken. This article aims to propose a system dynamics model for the risk analysis of investment life cycle. In this study, possible risk factors are detected and discussed in different categories. The casual loop diagram of possible risk factors and risk assessment model are designed, and the impacts are analysed. Case study of the proposed model in Pakistan highlighted the importance of commercial risks. The results achieved through this study will guide investors, sector participants and policymakers to develop stable strategies for promoting renewable energy in the country. JEL: Q42, P48, O13


2005 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 767-779 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Wicks ◽  
Malcolm Keay

Coal is not always seen as a route to sustainable development; renewable energy, energy efficiency and a move away from fossil fuels are what people usually have in mind. The paper argues that such a view is incomplete. One of the key development challenges facing the 21st century is to ensure wider access to clean energy. There are 1.6 billion people currently lacking electricity and the enormous benefits it brings in terms of poverty reduction and improved quality of life. Coal has been the route to electrification for millions in the developing world – China alone secured electricity access for over 700 million people between 1980 and 2000 in a system based 84 percent on coal. Clean technologies generally involve higher costs. Can the higher environmental expectations of the 21st century be met without denying or delaying access to electricity for millions in need? The paper identifies ways in which the cost penalty and other barriers to the introduction of clean coal-based technologies can be overcome. Higher efficiencies reduce both costs and emissions – the universal deployment of existing commercial best practice would produce savings equivalent to those from the Kyoto protocol. Emerging coal-based technologies enable cost-effective carbon dioxide emissions reductions. Co-firing of coal and renewables is often the most effective route to enabling resources such as biomass and solar power to be exploited. In the longer run, carbon sequestration offers huge potential for near zero emissions power at costs comparable with or lower than the alternatives. The conclusion is that no single fuel source provides the answer to sustainable development; a range of options is needed. Cleaner coal-based technologies must be one of those options: they can meet both immediate development goals and longer-term climate change imperatives.


European View ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabrizio De Filippis ◽  
Giovanni Scarano

During the lead up to and assessment of the Copenhagen Climate Conference in November 2009, the effects of the celebrated Kyoto Protocol were often overlooked. Although the aims of the Kyoto Protocol can be relegated to the dustbin of history, the targets set out in the agreement allowed Europe to put itself in a dominant position. Not only did the Kyoto Protocol force Europe to invest heavily in green technologies, but in addition it led to the creation of a European energy policy with the aim of reducing Europe's dependence on fossil fuels which can be seen, from a strategic point of view, as an undesirable dependence on sources abroad.


Significance Despite its promotion of an innovation ecosystem to attract start-ups, Abu Dhabi has overall made little progress in addressing the impact of the clean-energy transition on long-term demand for fossil fuels. As COVID-19 hits private consumption hard, Dubai is promoting expatriate-friendly labour market and legal reforms, with an eye to the troubled real estate sector. Impacts Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth funds will increase their exposure to the overseas oil derivatives industry. Dubai will shift attention to taming oversupply in the flagging property market, and developers will be under increased scrutiny. Ambitious oil production targets will increase tensions with Saudi Arabia; a medium-term OPEC exit is possible. Abu Dhabi will prioritise high-profile space and nuclear projects that generate soft power and boost innovation.


2011 ◽  
Vol 361-363 ◽  
pp. 1832-1836
Author(s):  
Chang Hong Zhao ◽  
Yan Xu ◽  
Jia Hai Yuan

This paper studies the low carbon transition of electricity system in China. The paper describes the approach, which builds on transitions and transition management using a multi-level perspective (MLP) of niches, socio-technical regime and landscape. A MLP analysis on China’s power sector is presented to understand the current landscape, regime and niches. Five transition pathways with their possible technology options are presented. The paper goes further to propose an interactive management framework for low carbon energy system transition in China and reprehensive technology options are appraised to indicate the policy package design logic in the framework. The work in the paper will be useful in informing policy-makers and other stakeholders and may provide reference value for other countries for energy transition management.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document