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Returns on Investments in Energy-saving Technologies Under Energy Price Uncertainty in Dutch Greenhouse Horticulture

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  • Paul Diederen
  • Frank van Tongeren
  • Hennie van der Veen

Abstract

Conventional net presentvalue calculations evaluating the profitabilityof investments in energy-saving technologies inDutch horticultural outlays predict a muchhigher rate of adoption of these technologiesthan is actually observed. This paper tries toexplain this gap by applying a real optionsframework. Hurdle rates for investments in twotypes of energy-saving technology are estimatedusing simulated future revenue streams, givenuncertainty regarding energy prices and energytax policies. Hurdle rates found in this wayare on average about 1.76 times the hurdlerates that result from net present valuecalculations. Furthermore, this paper tests thepredictive value of the theory by estimating alogit model. This model relates the incidenceof having invested in an energy-savingtechnology to the difference between the returnon investment and the hurdle rate. Thepredictive power turns out to be encouraging,as the statistical tests indicate that higherhurdle rates tend to reduce rates of technologyadoption. Copyright Kluwer Academic Publishers 2003

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Diederen & Frank van Tongeren & Hennie van der Veen, 2003. "Returns on Investments in Energy-saving Technologies Under Energy Price Uncertainty in Dutch Greenhouse Horticulture," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 24(4), pages 379-394, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:enreec:v:24:y:2003:i:4:p:379-394
    DOI: 10.1023/A:1023617318184
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    Cited by:

    1. Jose García-Quevedo & Xavier Massa-Camps, 2019. "Why firms invest (or not) in energy efficiency? A review of the econometric evidence," Working Papers 2019/07, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).
    2. Todd D. Gerarden & Richard G. Newell & Robert N. Stavins, 2017. "Assessing the Energy-Efficiency Gap," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 55(4), pages 1486-1525, December.
    3. Löfgren, Åsa & Millock, Katrin & Nauges, Céline, 2008. "The effect of uncertainty on pollution abatement investments: Measuring hurdle rates for Swedish industry," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 475-491, December.
    4. LOFGREN Asa & MILLOCK Katrin & NAUGES Céline, 2007. "Using Ex Post Data to Estimate the Hurdle Rate of Abatement Investments - An application to the Swedish Pulp and Paper Industry and Energy Sector," LERNA Working Papers 07.06.227, LERNA, University of Toulouse.
    5. Gilbert E. Metcalf, 2006. "Energy Conservation in the United States: Understanding its Role in Climate Policy," NBER Working Papers 12272, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Olsthoorn, Mark & Schleich, Joachim & Hirzel, Simon, 2017. "Adoption of Energy Efficiency Measures for Non-residential Buildings: Technological and Organizational Heterogeneity in the Trade, Commerce and Services Sector," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 240-254.
    7. Hammar, Henrik & Löfgren, Åsa, 2007. "Explaining adoption of end of pipe solutions and clean technologies," Working Papers 102, National Institute of Economic Research.
    8. Oliva H., Sebastian, 2017. "Residential energy efficiency and distributed generation - Natural partners or competition?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 932-940.
    9. Oskam, Arie J. & Goncharova, Natalia V. & Verstegen, Jos A.A.M., 2009. "The decision to invest and the investment level: An application to Dutch glasshouse horticulture firms," 2009 Conference, August 16-22, 2009, Beijing, China 51574, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    10. Häckel, Björn & Pfosser, Stefan & Tränkler, Timm, 2017. "Explaining the energy efficiency gap - Expected Utility Theory versus Cumulative Prospect Theory," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 414-426.
    11. Aramyan, Lusine H. & Oude Lansink, Alfons G.J.M. & Verstegen, Jos A.A.M., 2005. "Investments in Energy-Saving Systems in Dutch Horticultural Farms," 15th Congress, Campinas SP, Brazil, August 14-19, 2005 24285, International Farm Management Association.
    12. Tobias Fleitera & Joachim Schleich & Ployplearn Ravivanpong, 2012. "Adoption of energy-efficiency measures in SMEs - An empirical analysis based on energy audit data," Post-Print hal-00805748, HAL.
    13. Svensson, Elin & Berntsson, Thore, 2014. "The effect of long lead times for planning of energy efficiency and biorefinery technologies at a pulp mill," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 12-16.
    14. Greg W. Hunter, 2011. "Adoption Criteria, Diffusion and Firm Size: The Role of Learning in Reconciling Theories of Endogenous Technical Change with Empirical Evidence," Chapters, in: Raymond J.G.M. Florax & Henri L.F. de Groot & Peter Mulder (ed.), Improving Energy Efficiency through Technology, chapter 6, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    15. Åsa Löfgren & Katrin Millock & Céline Nauges, 2008. "Using ex post data to estimate the hurdle rate of abatement investments - an application to sulfur emissions from the Swedish pulp and paper industry and energy sector," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-00261523, HAL.
    16. Suresh Muthulingam & Charles J. Corbett & Shlomo Benartzi & Bohdan Oppenheim, 2013. "Energy Efficiency in Small and Medium-Sized Manufacturing Firms: Order Effects and the Adoption of Process Improvement Recommendations," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 15(4), pages 596-615, October.
    17. Fleiter, Tobias & Schleich, Joachim & Ravivanpong, Ployplearn, 2012. "Adoption of energy-efficiency measures in SMEs—An empirical analysis based on energy audit data from Germany," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 863-875.
    18. Greene, David L., 2011. "Uncertainty, loss aversion, and markets for energy efficiency," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 608-616, July.
    19. Natalia Goncharova & Arie Oskam & Alfons Oude Lansink & Arno Van Der Vlist & Jos Verstegen, 2008. "Investment Spikes in Dutch Greenhouse Horticulture," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(3), pages 516-536, September.
    20. Li, Shoude, 2013. "Emission permit banking, pollution abatement and production–inventory control of the firm," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(2), pages 679-685.
    21. Svensson, Elin & Berntsson, Thore & Strömberg, Ann-Brith & Patriksson, Michael, 2009. "An optimization methodology for identifying robust process integration investments under uncertainty," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 680-685, February.
    22. Hammar, Henrik & Löfgren, Åsa, 2010. "Explaining adoption of end of pipe solutions and clean technologies--Determinants of firms' investments for reducing emissions to air in four sectors in Sweden," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(7), pages 3644-3651, July.
    23. Svensson, Elin & Berntsson, Thore, 2011. "Planning future investments in emerging energy technologies for pulp mills considering different scenarios for their investment cost development," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(11), pages 6508-6519.

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