The Influence of State-level Renewable Energy Policy Instruments on Electricity Generation in the United States

The Influence of State-level Renewable Energy Policy Instruments on Electricity Generation in the United States PDF Author: Sunjoo Park
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Electric power production
Languages : en
Pages : 143

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Book Description
Abstract: Since the late 1990s, state governments in the U.S. have diversified policy instruments for encouraging the electric power industry to deploy renewable sources for electricity generation. While observing the increasing number of new renewable energy policies at the state level governments, this study raised two research questions: (1) how do state governments intervene in the renewable energy market? and (2) how do various policy approaches taken by state governments affect renewable energy development? To answer for these questions, this study attempts to identify the trends and variations in renewable energy policy designs among states in terms of the combination of aggregate level policy instruments used by state authorities. Additionally, this study aims to examine and compare the effectiveness of policy instruments in the deployment of renewable energy sources for electricity production. This study examined 18 state legislative, renewable energy related regulations, programs, or financial incentives existing between 2001 and 2010 in 48 states. Those 18 individual renewable energy policies were classified into three types of policy instruments: command-and-control, market-based, and information instruments. For the analysis, this study measured the amount and share of the electricity generation from nonhydro renewable sources as renewable energy policy effects. In order to isolate policy effects, this study also considered state specific characteristics such as natural endowment, economic and political environments, and the market conditions of electric power industries in different states. This study employed fixed-effects models to analyze cross-sectional time series data. The results showed that states' adoption of diverse command-and-control types of policy instruments have significantly influenced the increase of both the amount and share of renewable electricity, while informative policy tools helped increase the share of renewable sources used by electric power producers. However, diversification of marketbased policy instruments--especially financial incentives--did not significantly affect the increase of renewable electricity generation in states. Besides governmental intervention, state wealth and citizen interest in environmental issues played important roles in inducing more investment in renewable energy technologies. Also, natural gas price, wind speed, and states' export of electricity determined the proportion of renewable electricity in states.

The Influence of State-level Renewable Energy Policy Instruments on Electricity Generation in the United States

The Influence of State-level Renewable Energy Policy Instruments on Electricity Generation in the United States PDF Author: Sunjoo Park
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Electric power production
Languages : en
Pages : 143

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Book Description
Abstract: Since the late 1990s, state governments in the U.S. have diversified policy instruments for encouraging the electric power industry to deploy renewable sources for electricity generation. While observing the increasing number of new renewable energy policies at the state level governments, this study raised two research questions: (1) how do state governments intervene in the renewable energy market? and (2) how do various policy approaches taken by state governments affect renewable energy development? To answer for these questions, this study attempts to identify the trends and variations in renewable energy policy designs among states in terms of the combination of aggregate level policy instruments used by state authorities. Additionally, this study aims to examine and compare the effectiveness of policy instruments in the deployment of renewable energy sources for electricity production. This study examined 18 state legislative, renewable energy related regulations, programs, or financial incentives existing between 2001 and 2010 in 48 states. Those 18 individual renewable energy policies were classified into three types of policy instruments: command-and-control, market-based, and information instruments. For the analysis, this study measured the amount and share of the electricity generation from nonhydro renewable sources as renewable energy policy effects. In order to isolate policy effects, this study also considered state specific characteristics such as natural endowment, economic and political environments, and the market conditions of electric power industries in different states. This study employed fixed-effects models to analyze cross-sectional time series data. The results showed that states' adoption of diverse command-and-control types of policy instruments have significantly influenced the increase of both the amount and share of renewable electricity, while informative policy tools helped increase the share of renewable sources used by electric power producers. However, diversification of marketbased policy instruments--especially financial incentives--did not significantly affect the increase of renewable electricity generation in states. Besides governmental intervention, state wealth and citizen interest in environmental issues played important roles in inducing more investment in renewable energy technologies. Also, natural gas price, wind speed, and states' export of electricity determined the proportion of renewable electricity in states.

State Renewable Energy Electricity Policies

State Renewable Energy Electricity Policies PDF Author: Sanya Carley
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Over the past decade, state governments have emerged as U.S. energy policy leaders. Across the country, states are adopting policy instruments aimed at carbon mitigation and renewable energy deployment. One of the most prevalent and innovative policy instruments is a renewable portfolio standard (RPS), which seeks to increase the share of renewable energy electrification in the electricity market. This analysis evaluates the effectiveness of state energy programs with an empirical investigation of the linkage between state RPS policy implementation and the percentage of renewable energy electricity generation across states. We use a variant of a standard fixed effects model, referred to as a fixed effects vector decomposition, with state-level data from 1998 to 2006. Results indicate that RPS implementation is not a significant predictor of the percentage of renewable energy generation out of the total generation mix, yet for each additional year that a state has an RPS policy, they are found to increase the total amount of renewable energy generation. These findings reveal a potentially significant shortcoming of RPS policies. Political institutions, natural resource endowments, deregulation, gross state product per capita, electricity use per person, electricity price, and the presence of regional RPS policies are also found to be significantly related to renewable energy deployment.

Efficiency, Renewables, and the Effect of Energy Policy Interactions on Residential Electricity Consumption in the United States

Efficiency, Renewables, and the Effect of Energy Policy Interactions on Residential Electricity Consumption in the United States PDF Author: Robert A. Johnson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Political planning
Languages : en
Pages : 160

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Book Description
This paper examines whether the combination of different energy policies yields interaction effects that influence the impact had by any single policy on its outcome of interest. In particular, this study examines whether a particular renewable energy policy--the renewable portfolio standard (RPS)--influences the reductions in electricity consumption that are achieved in residential buildings by an energy efficiency resource standard (EERS). The units of analysis are the 48 contiguous U.S. states, and electricity consumption outcomes are considered for the nine year period 2001 to 2009. Fixed effects panel regression analysis shows that, under certain conditions, interaction effects between RPS and EERS instruments do influence electricity consumption outcomes. The finding is not robust, however, and the interaction effects disappear when certain other policy factors are introduced into the econometric model. This suggests that it may be appropriate to consider policy interactions when making decisions about state-level energy policies, but policy interactions should not be of paramount or overriding concern. In contrast, the significant and robust association between residential electricity consumption and the RPS and other renewable energy policy instruments highlights the importance of considering a broad range of energy policy goals when developing individual policy tools. Similarly, the association between electricity consumption and the EERS instrument reaffirms the importance of carefully considering the specifics of each individual policy on its own merit. Because of the relatively short period of time that EERS policies have been in effect, and also because of other data limitations that appear to obscure the observed relationship between electricity consumption and certain of the explanatory variables, replication of this study's methodology may be warranted after more data--regarding both EERS performance and other determinants of electricity consumption--becomes available. Additional data may enable the effect or non-effect of energy policy interactions to be more conclusively demonstrated.

Energy Policy in the U.S.

Energy Policy in the U.S. PDF Author: Laurance R. Geri
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351568299
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 352

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Book Description
In an effort to provide greater awareness of the necessary policy decisions facing our elected and appointed officials, Energy Policy in the U.S.: Politics, Challenges, and Prospects for Change presents an overview of important energy policies and the policy process in the United States, including their history, goals, methods of action, and consequences. In the first half of the book, the authors frame the energy policy issue by reviewing U.S. energy policy history, identifying the policy-making players, and illuminating the costs, benefits, and economic and political realities of currently competing policy alternatives. The book examines the stakeholders and their attempts to influence energy policy and addresses the role of supply and demand on the national commitment to energy conservation and the development of alternative energy sources. The latter half of the book delves into specific energy policy strategies, including economic and regulatory options, and factors that influence energy policies, such as the importance of international cooperation. Renewed interest in various renewable and nontraditional energy resources—for example, hydrogen, nuclear fusion, biomass, and tide motion—is examined, and policy agendas are explored in view of scientific, economic, regulatory, production, and environmental constraints. This book provides excellent insight into the complex task of creating a comprehensive energy policy and its importance in the continued availability of energy to power our way of life and economy while protecting our environment and national security.

Effects of State Policies on Renewable Energy Capacity and Generation

Effects of State Policies on Renewable Energy Capacity and Generation PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Most portions of the United States have relied heavily on electricity generated from fossil fuels that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. In the absence of aggressive federal action, to cope with this issue, especially in the last decade, many U.S. state governments have begun renewable energy programs. There have been many case studies of these programs, but few comparative quantative analyses. This research includes quantitative analyses of the effects of state policies on renewable energy capacity and generation, controlling for each state's endowment of renewable energy resources, its coal production, and various state-level economic and political variables.

The Power of Renewables

The Power of Renewables PDF Author: Chinese Academy of Engineering
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309160006
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 256

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Book Description
The United States and China are the world's top two energy consumers and, as of 2010, the two largest economies. Consequently, they have a decisive role to play in the world's clean energy future. Both countries are also motivated by related goals, namely diversified energy portfolios, job creation, energy security, and pollution reduction, making renewable energy development an important strategy with wide-ranging implications. Given the size of their energy markets, any substantial progress the two countries make in advancing use of renewable energy will provide global benefits, in terms of enhanced technological understanding, reduced costs through expanded deployment, and reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions relative to conventional generation from fossil fuels. Within this context, the U.S. National Academies, in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), reviewed renewable energy development and deployment in the two countries, to highlight prospects for collaboration across the research to deployment chain and to suggest strategies which would promote more rapid and economical attainment of renewable energy goals. Main findings and concerning renewable resource assessments, technology development, environmental impacts, market infrastructure, among others, are presented. Specific recommendations have been limited to those judged to be most likely to accelerate the pace of deployment, increase cost-competitiveness, or shape the future market for renewable energy. The recommendations presented here are also pragmatic and achievable.

Government Promotion of Renewable Energy Technologies

Government Promotion of Renewable Energy Technologies PDF Author: Katrin Jordan-Korte
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3834965871
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 277

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Book Description
Katrin Jordan-Korte presents the first comprehensive comparison of government promotion of renewable energy technologies in Germany, the United States, and Japan.

State and Federal Policy Effects on Utility-level Renewable Energy Adoption

State and Federal Policy Effects on Utility-level Renewable Energy Adoption PDF Author: Luran Dong
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 82

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Book Description
Renewable portfolio standards (RPS) are important policies designed by states to increase renewable share in electricity generation. A significant amount of research has been done on the analysis of RPS. However, since many states have updated RPS, we need to re-evaluate the effectiveness of RPS. In this paper, I modify Yin and Power's and Shrimali's models and adjust their dataset to estimate how RPS and The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) affect electricity capacity share. I find that RPS do not promote renewable energy deployment but ARRA does based on our results.

The Oxford Handbook of Energy Politics

The Oxford Handbook of Energy Politics PDF Author: Kathleen J. Hancock
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 019086138X
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 672

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Book Description
The global, regional, and local energy landscape has changed dramatically in the twenty-first century. Many factors have affected what we know about energy: a consensus among scientists on climate change and related support for renewable energy, evolving energy and resource extraction technologies, growing resource demand in the developing world, new regional and global energy governance actors, new major fossil fuel discoveries on land and underwater in states that have previously been under-resourced, rising interest in corporate social responsibility in energy companies, and the need for energy justice. The Oxford Handbook of Energy Politics synthesizes the diverse literature on these topics to provide a foundational resource for teaching and research on critical energy issues in international relations and comparative politics. Through chapters authored by both scholars and practitioners, the Handbook further develops the energy politics scholarship and community, and generates sophisticated new work that will benefit all who work on energy issues.

The Great Transition: Shifting from Fossil Fuels to Solar and Wind Energy

The Great Transition: Shifting from Fossil Fuels to Solar and Wind Energy PDF Author: Lester R. Brown
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 0393351149
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 247

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Book Description
The great energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy is under way. As oil insecurity deepens, the extraction risks of fossil fuels rise, and concerns about climate instability cast a shadow over the future of coal, a new world energy economy is emerging. The old economy, fueled by oil, natural gas, and coal is being replaced with one powered by wind, solar, and geothermal energy. The Great Transition details the accelerating pace of this global energy revolution. As many countries become less enamored with coal and nuclear power, they are embracing an array of clean, renewable energies. Whereas solar energy projects were once small-scale, largely designed for residential use, energy investors are now building utility-scale solar projects. Strides are being made: some of the huge wind farm complexes under construction in China will each produce as much electricity as several nuclear power plants, and an electrified transport system supplemented by the use of bicycles could reshape the way we think about mobility.