Browsing by Subject "clean energy"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    The Australian Carbon Pricing Mechanism: Promise and Pitfalls on the Pathway to a Clean Energy Future
    (Minnesota Journal of Law, Science and Technology, 2014-02-20) Peel, Jacqueline
    A major issue facing efforts to transition from high carbon to low carbon (“clean energy”) sources in the United States is the lack of well-developed legal and policy “infrastructure” to facilitate this transition. This Article considers the lessons for developing such infrastructure from Australia’s recent experience in introducing and implementing a national carbon pricing mechanism. This mechanism was intended to be the keystone of broader national policy arrangements to secure a “clean energy future” for the nation. Although there are significant differences between the legal arrangements governing energy generation and distribution in the United States and Australia (for example, the latter has a national electricity market supported by cooperative federal-state laws), there are yet many similarities between the two countries that enhance the potential for cross-jurisdictional learning. In particular, both countries are leading per capita emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs), with significant emissions sourced from their respective energy sectors, which remain heavily dependent on fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and petroleum) for energy supply. In addition, both countries have legal systems based upon common law foundations, embedded within a federal matrix of national and state laws relevant to issues of energy production, environmental protection, and climate change.
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    How Markets, Policies and Consumers Influence the Transition to Clean Energy
    (2018-08) Sun, Bixuan
    Climate change poses fundamental threats to human populations and ecosystems. Transitioning to a cleaner and more sustainable energy system is central to combating climate change while ensuring universal energy access. However, the transition to clean energy is not free of obstacles. The major players in the energy system, including producers, regulators and consumers, have diverse objectives. My dissertation studies how these players shape the transition to a cleaner, more efficient energy system. The first chapter models the strategic interactions between the dirty producer and the clean producer in the transition to clean technology, showing that the incumbent dirty producer can use market power to deter the entry by the clean producer and suppress R&D investment in clean technology. The impacts of tax and subsidy on peak pollution stock, as well as social welfare, are also analyzed. In the second chapter, I develop a theoretical model of consumers’ responses to energy efficiency policies, and present empirical evidence that shows a negative direct rebound effect for Energy Star dishwashers and a potentially positive direct rebound effect for Energy Star air conditioners. Negative rebound effects can amplify energy savings, while positive rebound effects can offset energy savings from using more efficient technologies. The third chapter uses machine learning methods to study how the impacts of solar rebate programs vary with the presence of other solar policies and demographic characteristics in the U.S. The results show a positive average treatment effect of solar rebate programs with significant heterogeneity. Important factors explaining the heterogeneity include Renewable Energy Portfolio, residential electricity rate and year of installation. Relationships between treatment effect and important explanatory factors display significant non-linearity. These findings suggest that legislative goals are more likely to support rebate programs than other types of solar policies, and certain solar market characteristics are indicative of high program effects.
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    Identifying high-value opportunities for non-wire alternatives: A retrospective of state-led approaches
    (2023) Angulo Paniagua, Jam
    State legislatures and Public Utilities Commissions are interested in ensuring prudency in utility investments and their alignment with the public interest. They are also increasingly recognizing the potential climate, financial and technical benefits of incorporating Distributed Energy Resources (DER) in utility planning. Non-wire alternatives (NWAs) have gained popularity in the last decade as a strategy to identify cost-effective opportunities for DER that can defer or replace investments in traditional infrastructure. Therefore, states have established procedures to standardize their consideration. This paper describes and compares the approach of eight states to identify high-value opportunities for NWAs. State’s considerations and frameworks are discussed and compared in the context of five characteristics: i) integration of NWAs to utility planning and the prioritizing of: ii) transparency, iii) accessibility, iv) flexibility, and v) creativity in NWA identification. The discussion is done by identifying NWAenabling legislation or regulation in each state and related policy proceedings, legislation, plans, and media. After the analysis, the paper proposes key considerations to strengthen the role of NWA identification approaches in promoting utility prudency and collaborative culture in utility planning.