Solar Dollars: A Complementary Currency that Incentivizes Renewable Energy

Incentives are the key to addressing climate change and the various other aspects of the current multi-dimensional mega-crisis. This paper proposes the issuance of private community currency vouchers by electric utility companies based on their willingness and ability to provide their customers with energy derived from renewable sources. By monetizing the value of renewable energy in the form of a community currency Solar Dollars help to solve several critical problems at once: They incentivize a more rapid shift to renewable energy, help communities to become more resilient and self-determined, and enable the decentralization of economic and political power.

Complementary Currencies for Humanitarian Aid

The humanitarian sector has gone through a major shift toward injection of cash into vulnerable communities as its core modality. On this trajectory toward direct currency injection, something new has happened: namely the empowerment of communities to create their own local currencies, a tool known as Complementary Currency systems. This study mobilizes the concepts of endogenous regional development, import substitution and local market linkages as elaborated by Albert Hirschman and Jane Jacobs, to analyze the impact of a group of Complementary Currencies instituted by Grassroots Economics Foundation and the Red Cross in Kenya. The paper discusses humanitarian Cash and Voucher Assistance programs and compares them to a Complementary Currency system using Grassroots Economics as a case study. Transaction histories recorded on a blockchain and network visualizations show the ability of these Complementary Currencies to create diverse production capacity, dense local supply chains, and data for measuring the impact of humanitarian currency transfers. Since Complementary Currency systems prioritize both cooperation and localization, the paper argues that Complementary Currencies should become one of the tools in the Cash and Voucher Assistance toolbox.

The Complementary Currency Zielony in Poland and Its Importance for the Development of Local Economy Entities during the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown

The article aims to present how the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown affects the functioning and circulation of complementary currencies in entities that have joined the complementary currency system with a special focus on the complementary currency Zielony (PLZ) in Poland. The main research problem of the paper is formulated in the form of a question concerning the impact of the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic on the use of the Zielony in Poland in commercial transactions by entities belonging to the local currency system. In order to achieve the objective and solve the main problem, the article uses such research methods as: the method of critical analysis of literature, historical method, statistical method, comparative method, observational method, free expert interview, as well as analysis and synthesis, deduction and induction and abstraction. We conducted a critical analysis of the literature and analysis of statistical data of the complementary currency Zielony in Poland in the period from March 2015 to June 2021, and the results of the expert interview showed that this currency is not a tool to support the functioning of local economy entities during non-financial crises, such as COVID-19 pandemic. This is influenced by, among other things, full or partial lockdown and other restrictions on the functioning of commercial entities during a pandemic. The consequences of such solutions include the weakening of economic activity and a decrease in the value of turnover of entities operating in various sectors of the local economy, especially entities of a service nature, which constitute about 80% of the structure of the Zielony complementary currency system in Poland. The main conclusion resulting from the conducted research is as follows: the complementary currency Zielony in Poland can influence the creation of local entrepreneurship and sustainable development and support the activities of the sector of small- and medium-sized enterprises, but these benefits are possible to achieve primarily in conditions of stable and undisturbed functioning of the economy. The realization of the payment function of the complementary currency, the Zielony, and its use in payments of entities belonging to those industries covered by lockdown and other administrative restrictions is impossible (or insignificant) at this time due to the absence (or hindered) of its circulation in the economy. The research results and conclusions presented in the article meet the assumptions of the application objective and can provide the entities of the micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprise sector with knowledge about the dependencies resulting from the use of the complementary currency in the lockdown period by the entities that implement the assumptions of the system of complementary currencies.

Opportunities for Innovation With Competencies as Currency

Learners' needs are changing rapidly, driven by innovations in technology and the world of work. Increasingly, learners need flexible education options and the ability to verify their own competencies as valuable currency for careers. Multiple trends are putting pressure on postsecondary education to be more flexible and competency based. Credit hours as a basis for defining credentials will drive postsecondary practices for some time, but there are opportunities for innovation with competencies as a parallel and complementary currency. Credit hours define degree attainment, financial aid, and other critical functions. Competencies articulate learning that has value both within and outside educational institutions. This chapter analyzes how credits and competencies provide value for stakeholders in learning ecosystems, including education providers, employers, and learners. Effective changes in postsecondary practices can be achieved through focusing on competency-based learning and credentialing practices that incorporate the value of competencies into credit hour-based processes.

Gold Currency Model in Aceh

Complementary currency has been a trending issue. This is because the complementary currency can reduce people’s dependency on the government in serving the currency as a medium of exchange. However, many studies neglected the role of idle gold. Aceh is one province of Indonesia that reserves the right of special autonomy to implement Sharia. Aceh, being renowned for its fertility in the cultivation of some agricultural products such as coffee, tobacco, and palm oil, has become a strategic trade center. Aceh is also equally rich in gold mines, with the approximate result of five tons a year. This research attempts to design a model of complementary currency based on physical gold in Aceh. This study uses unstructured interviews with scholars, leaders, business people, and the government. The result reveals that stakeholders agree with the gold complementary currency, support and willing to recommend it. Besides, this model is believed to be beneficial. However, the most challenging factor is the support from the government which is essential to develop this gold currency model.Keywords: Complementary Currency, Aceh Economy, Gold-Based Money, Islamic Currency. Abstrak. Mata uang komplementer (complementary currency) menjadi isu yang masih terus menjadi pembahasan. Hal ini karena mata uang komplementer dapat mengurangi ketergantungan terhadap pemerintah dalam melayani kebutuhan mata uang sebagai media pertukaran. Mata uang komplementer, termasuk yang berbasis emas, dapat meningkatkan ketahanan masyarakat terhadap krisis moneter. Namun demikian, kajian tentang hal ini masih jarang, terutama tentang peranan emas yang menganggur (idle gold). Aceh merupakan satu provinsi di Indonesia yang memiliki hak otonomi khusus untuk menerapkan syariat Islam. Penelitian ini mencoba merekomendasikan model mata uang komplementer berdasarkan emas, untuk diimplementasikan di Aceh. Penelitian dilakukan dengan wawancara tidak terstruktur dengan stakeholders dari ulama, pemimpin masyarakat, pelaku bisnis, dan pemerintah. Hasilnya menunjukkan bahwa stakeholders setuju, mendukung, dan merekomendasikan penggunaan mata uang komplementer di Aceh. Selain itu, model ini dipercaya dapat bermanfaat bagi perekonomian, kehidupan sosial, dan penerapan nilai Islam serta persaidaraan. Namun demikian, tantangan yang paling utama adalah dukungan pemerintah dan keterlibatannya dalam pengembangan dan implementasi model ini.Kata kunci: Complementary Currency, Aceh Economy, Gold-Based Money, Islamic Currency

Liquidity-Saving through Obligation-Clearing and Mutual Credit: An Effective Monetary Innovation for SMEs in Times of Crisis

During financial crises, liquidity tends to become scarce, a problem that disproportionately affects small companies. This paper shows that obligation-clearing is a very effective liquidity-saving method for providing relief in the trade credit market and, therefore, on the supply-side or productive part of the economy. The paper also demonstrates that when used in conjunction with a complementary currency system such as mutual credit as a liquidity source the effectiveness of obligation-clearing can be doubled. Real data from the Sardex mutual credit system show a reduction of net internal debt of the obligation network of approximately 25% when obligation-clearing is used by itself and of 50% when it is used together with mutual credit. These instruments are also relevant from the point of view of risk mitigation for lenders, based in part on the information on individual companies that the mutual credit circuit manager can provide to banks (upon the circuit member’s request) and in part on the relief that liquidity-saving provides especially to NPL companies. The paper concludes by outlining recommendations for how even greater savings could be achieved by including the tax authority as another node in the obligation network.

Black Currency of Middle Ages and Case for Complementary Currency

Monetary historians argue that two types of currencies were circulating in the middle ages of Europe. The first was the standard historical form of money made up of gold and silver coins, and the second was a set of small pieces of copper and other metallic substances used mainly in towns and townships for local trade as currency. Jetton and tokens are monetized objects that are not official currencies; they were of lower quality of the inferior metallic object, which were used for day-to-day transaction needs. The drive for local monetary decentralization is pointed to build up fiscal autonomy and responsible local monetary institutions. This paper reasons that the monetary regime of the Renaissance was a real and genuine trimetallic currency regime.

Exploring novel Islamic monetary system

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore an alternative Islamic monetary system in which money is created from supply chain grassroots based on work effort and is accessible to people as long as they offer goods and services demanded by others. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts the critical realism approach and highlights the challenges with the present monetary system. It also proposes to address these challenges through an alternative monetary system in which money creation starts from the grassroots of the supply chain. The proposed system extends the real-world complementary currency concept of barter to a holistic electronic trading platform, which includes chain barter alternatives, licensed warehouses and electronic warehouse receipts within the Islamic microfinance practice, thereby facilitating cross-border trade and international trade payments. An electronic currency, valued at the worth of goods produced in the supply chain, is introduced as the medium of exchange. Findings The problem with past monetary systems can be addressed through current information technology and supply chain management to enable a monetary system and money creation based on real economic transactions. Originality/value This study proposes an alternative monetary system, which is only possible by harnessing supply chain management with money creation. The proposed monetary system may be considered, should the present system fail or need to be improved.

Complementary currency as an instrument for economic development in the western Balkans

Regional economic integration is regarded as a priority task for western Balkans countries in order to prepare them for integration into the European Union. Given the under-performance between these countries in terms of trade, we propose the creation of a complementary supranational currency that would serve the common market of the western Balkans and also intensify trade exchanges between them. We support the idea that structural reforms and the technical provisions proposed in this adopted Keynes Plan may, at least in principle, provide the necessary solutions to avoid imbalances between the countries; serve as an incentive to intensify trade exchanges; and curb inflationary and deflationary pressures in the joint western Balkans market. Our research makes a solid contribution to the debate on international monetary systems. We believe that a complementary currency would make regional integration more effective within the western Balkans but, furthermore, would also call into question the international monetary system were it to be as effective in practice as we think it would be.