Carbon Pricing in US Electricity Markets: Expediting the Low-Carbon Transition While Mitigating the Growing Conflict between Renewable-Energy Goals and Regional Electricity Markets

Climate Law ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 263-302
Author(s):  
Kevin B. Jones ◽  
Benjamin B. Civiletti ◽  
Angela J. Sicker

Open access to electric markets supports the integration of growing renewable energy resources. This is increasingly important as more US states aim to meet 100 percent of their energy needs with zero-emission resources. Currently states employ a wide variety of renewable energy targets and eligibility requirements. An example of the increasingly complex US state policy patchwork is state-mandated zero-emission credits (zecs) for nuclear facilities. Rather than increase conflict between clean energy goals and wholesale electric markets, there is a need for a more comprehensive regional approach that provides the appropriate price signals for carbon through existing market mechanisms. A carbon charge could be designed to eliminate the need for out-of-market zec payments to nuclear generation and significantly reduce state payments for renewable energy credits. This article examines the growing conflict between regional electricity markets and more localized clean-energy goals and explores how a carbon charge in the US regional electricity markets both mitigate this conflict and expedite the low-carbon transition.

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 553-563
Author(s):  
Gustavo Richmond-Navarro ◽  
Rolando Madriz-Vargas ◽  
Noel Ureña-Sandí ◽  
Fabian Barrientos-Johansson

Abstract Most countries around the world are politically driven to move toward a low-carbon future by embracing renewable energy technologies for electricity generation. With abundance of renewable energy resources, Costa Rica produces over 95 percent of its electricity from hydro, geothermal, and wind power plants. Only one percent of its population live without electricity, mainly in remote territories where rural off-grid electrification is very challenging. The purpose of this research is to contribute to enhancing the opportunities to reach universal electricity access in Costa Rica by studying some cases. A comparison with the African situation is made in order to find common points of benefit and learning. This article highlights that a greater level of engagement is needed from local leaders to develop efficient solutions in Costa Rica, and brings a relevant comparison with Africa’s energy needs as well.


Author(s):  
Hasan Dinçer ◽  
Serhat Yüksel ◽  
Hüsne Karakuş

Renewable energy sources are clean energy sources that meet the energy needs in a sustainable way. Therefore, it is necessary to invest in renewable energy sources. However, there are some difficulties in renewable energy investments. It has problems such as high initial installation cost, underdeveloped technological infrastructure, and insufficient financial support. Several financial products are being developed in order to overcome the mentioned difficulties. In this context, the purpose of this study is to explain the role of green sukuk in the financing of renewable energy investments. Depending on this purpose, the study has been examined with a literature review. The production of renewable energy sources can be encouraged with green sukuk. However, green sukuk is an advantage for Islamic companies that want to realize environmental projects. On the other hand, it offers the opportunity to the environmentally friendly Islamic investors to evaluate their savings.


Author(s):  
Kathleen Araújo

The discovery of oil in Pennsylvania in 1859 was a relatively inconspicuous precursor to what would become an epic shift into the modern age of energy. At the time, the search for “rock oil” was driven by a perception that lighting fuel was running out. Advances in petrochemical refining and internal combustion engines had yet to occur, and oil was more expensive than coal. In less than 100 years, oil gained worldwide prominence as an energy source and traded commodity. Along similar lines, electricity in the early 1900s powered less than 10% of the homes in the United States. Yet, in under a half a century, billions of homes around the world were equipped to utilize the refined form of energy. Estimates indicate that roughly 85% of the world’s population had access to electricity in 2014 (World Bank, n.d.b). For both petroleum and electricity, significant changes in energy use and associated technologies were closely linked to evolutions in infrastructure, institutions, investment, and practices. Today, countless decision-makers are focusing on transforming energy systems from fossil fuels to low carbon energy which is widely deemed to be a cleaner, more sustainable form of energy. As of 2016, 176 countries have renewable energy targets in place, compared to 43 in 2005 (Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century [REN21], 2017). Many jurisdictions are also setting increasingly ambitious targets for 100% renewable energy or electricity (Bloomberg New Energy Finance [BNEF], 2016). In 2015, the G7 and G20 committed to accelerate the provision of access to renewables and efficiency (REN21, 2016). In conjunction with all of the above priorities, clean energy investment surged in 2015 to a new record of $329 billion, despite low, fossil fuel prices. A significant “decoupling” of economic and carbon dioxide (CO2) growth was also evident, due in part to China’s increased use of renewable energy and efforts by member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to foster greater use of renewables and efficiency (REN21, 2016).


2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 105-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Udochukwu B. Akuru ◽  
Ogbonnaya I. Okoro ◽  
Chibuike F. Maduko

The DESERTEC project, a European Union (EU) initiative to harness solar energy by means of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) from Africa for use in Europe, shows the enormous potential that exists in alternative energy sources for the sub-region once there is political will. The Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Corporation (TREC), a network of scientists and politicians who have taken it upon themselves to solve Europe’s energy problem using sun from Africa, conducted three studies which evaluated the potential of renewable energy resources in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the expected needs for water and power in EU-MENA between now and 2050 and issues relating to the construction of an electricity transmission grid connecting the EU and MENA (EU-MENA-Connection), with a formula to turn the North African desert sun into electricity and transport same to Europe. This paper harnesses the TREC fact-finding studies in order to estimate how much the same ideas can be applied in many other parts of the world, Nigeria in particular. Investigation reveals that this association exists with huge potentials for an energy-starved country like Nigeria in harnessing her abundant hot sun in the north, which could go a long way in meeting the energy needs in that part of the country and beyond. Other benefits include unlimited supplies of clean electricity, agricultural gains, and creation of new industries, new jobs and new sources of income.


Daedalus ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 141 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed T. El-Ashry

The world is entering a new energy era marked by concerns over energy security, climate change, and access by the poor to modern energy services. Yet the current energy path is not compatible with sustainable development objectives. Global demand for energy will continue to grow; so will CO2 emissions. Achieving a low-carbon energy world will require an unprecedented technological transformation in the way energy is produced and used. That transformation has begun, as renewables capacity continues to grow, prices continue to fall, and shares of global energy from renewables continue to increase. Government policies are the main driver behind renewable energy's meteoric growth. Still, the world is tapping only a small amount of the vast supply of renewable energy resources. There is broad consensus that the role of these resources should be expanded significantly in order to meaningfully address energy security, energy access, and climate change.


2020 ◽  
pp. 161-161
Author(s):  
Milana Medojevic ◽  
Milovan Medojevic ◽  
Villar Díaz

Having in mind that energy is being regarded as indispensable to the socio-economic progress of developing and developed nations, where the main objective implies replacement and reduction of a major portion of the fossil fuels utilization, implementation of renewable energy technologies where natural phenomena are transformed into beneficial types of energy are becoming more and more appreciated and needed. Among renewable energy resources we know today, solar energy is the most beneficial, relatively limitless, effective, and dependable. Having this in mind, the aim of this paper is primarily to help key decision-makers understand the process when considering integration of solar energy to meet their own manufacturing energy needs, or how it is called today, to become ?prosumers?. Given the aforementioned, this paper provides an overview of detailed simulation methodology for Photovoltaic (PV) system sizing and design for metal-forming manufacturing system energy needs. The simulation is based on NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) photovoltaic performance model which combines module and inverter sub-models with supplementary code to calculate a photovoltaic power system?s hourly AC output is given a weather file and data describing the physical characteristics of the module, inverter, and array. Furthermore, the characteristic losses are calculated and presented for a fixed array PV system and illustratively given in the form of a Sankey diagram. A variety of graphical data representations are available while the most important ones are given in the study. Lastly, future research topics were filtered and briefly summarized.


2021 ◽  
Vol 43 (9) ◽  
pp. 601-613
Author(s):  
Ertugrul Guresci

Objectives : The world is getting more polluted day by day and living conditions are getting harder and harder. The Covid 19 process explains this situation even better. Global warming will show its effect more heavily if measures are not taken. There is a close relationship between global warming and the type and method of energy used. The use of fossil fuels by people pollutes the environment too much, and the use of alternative energy sources is gaining importance instead. Here, the issue of use and management of renewable energy sources comes to the fore. Turkey is a country with rich renewable energy resources and experience in cooperatives. In this study, it is aimed to reveal the current situation and problems of renewable energy cooperatives, which can be a model for managing Turkey’s renewable energy resources.Methods : In the study, a literature review method was used by examining domestic and foreign resources related to renewable energy and renewable energy cooperatives. Some of the data obtained were arranged in tables and used in the study.Results and Discussion : It is very important for Turkey to develop renewable energy resources and increase the share of renewable energy resources among other resources. Because Turkey is a developing country and its population is increasing day by day. It is essential to use renewable energy for the energy need of the increasing population and the least environmental pollution. Within the scope of 2023 targets in Turkey, it is planned to produce 34 thousand MW of hydroelectric, 20 thousand MW of wind energy, solar energy, 5 thousand MW, 1,000 MW of geothermal energy and 1,000 MW of geothermal energy and biomass energy. In order to achieve this goal, it is planned to invest approximately 60 billion dollars in renewable energy sources. Cooperatives are one of the most effective ways in which Turkey can use its renewable energy resources. Because cooperative is a method known to the Turkish society and it would be beneficial to transfer it to the renewable energy field.Conclusion : Turkey is a developing country and its energy needs are increasing day by day. It is very important to use the renewable energy resources it has correctly and in a planned way. In this respect, it should be understood that renewable energy cooperatives are quite compatible with Turkey. Turkey should provide the necessary legal and administrative structure for the development of renewable energy cooperatives and develop it with financial support in order to make its increasing energy needs sustainable.


Author(s):  
Ying Li ◽  
Yung-ho Chiu ◽  
Tai-Yu Lin

To mitigate the problems associated with climate change, the low-carbon economy concept is now being championed around the world in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure sustainable economic growth. Therefore, to reduce the dependence on traditional energy sources, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has been actively promoting the use of renewable energy. Past research has tended to neglect the influence of other pollutants such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) and have mainly been based on static analyses. To make up for these research gaps, this study examined OECD country data from 2010–2014, with labor, fixed assets, new energy, and traditional energy as the inputs, and Gross Domestic Product (GDP), carbon dioxide (CO2), and PM2.5 as the outputs, from which it was found: (1) the overall efficiency of the individual countries varied significantly, with nine countries being found to have efficiencies of 1 for all five years, but many others having efficiencies below 0.2; (2) in countries where there was a need for improvements in traditional energy (which here refers to coal, petroleum and other fossil energy sources), there was also a significant need for improvement in new energy sources (which here refers to clean energy which will produce pollutant emissions and can be directly used for production and life, including resources like nuclear energy and “renewable energy”); (3) countries with poor traditional energy and new energy efficiencies also had poor CO2 and PM2.5 efficiencies; (4) many OECD countries have made progress towards sustainable new energy developments


Author(s):  
Biljana Stojan Ilic

On the global level, governments are leading the national policy for development of modern technology and alternative energy resources. The tendencies of sustainable development are reflected in the realization of using renewable energy resources that contribute to a more diversified and more efficient use of clean energy. The aim of this chapter is to represent adequate responses to the efficient management at the state level that created all necessary conditions for sustainable development and energy efficiency using renewable energy resources in countries of European Union. Legal regulations, energy policy, short, medium and long-term strategy with a stimulating policy, can contribute for achieving adequate results in terms of sustainable development. The aims of this policy would be reflected in the development of eco-industrial parks and clean energy that contribute development of new companies, employment, on the state budget and local government levels.


Author(s):  
Biljana Stojan Ilic

On the global level, governments are leading the national policy for development of modern technology and alternative energy resources. The tendencies of sustainable development are reflected in the realization of using renewable energy resources that contribute to a more diversified and more efficient use of clean energy. The aim of this chapter is to represent adequate responses to the efficient management at the state level that created all necessary conditions for sustainable development and energy efficiency using renewable energy resources in countries of European Union. Legal regulations, energy policy, short, medium and long-term strategy with a stimulating policy, can contribute for achieving adequate results in terms of sustainable development. The aims of this policy would be reflected in the development of eco-industrial parks and clean energy that contribute development of new companies, employment, on the state budget and local government levels.


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