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Energy Tax Exemptions and Industrial Production

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  • Andreas Gerster
  • Stefan Lamp

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of a large electricity tax exemption on production levels, employment and input choices in the German manufacturing industry. For two policy designs, we show that exempted plants increase their electricity use. This effect is larger under a notched exemption policy, where passing an eligibility threshold yields infra-marginal benefits, compared to a policy without such benefits. We detect no significant impact of the exemptions on production levels, export shares and employment. Using counterfactual simulations, we document that notched policies substantially distort firms’ production input choices when financial stakes are high and compliance costs are low.

Suggested Citation

  • Andreas Gerster & Stefan Lamp, 2024. "Energy Tax Exemptions and Industrial Production," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 134(663), pages 2803-2834.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:econjl:v:134:y:2024:i:663:p:2803-2834.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/ej/ueae048
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    Cited by:

    1. Pier Basaglia & Sophie M. Behr & Moritz A. Drupp, 2023. "De-Fueling Externalities: How Tax Salience and Fuel Substitution Mediate Climate and Health Benefits," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 2041, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    2. Pier Basaglia & Sophie M. Behr & Moritz A. Drupp, 2023. "De-Fueling Externalities: Causal Effects of Fuel Taxation and Mediating Mechanisms for Reducing Climate and Pollution Costs," CESifo Working Paper Series 10508, CESifo.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • L60 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - General
    • Q41 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Demand and Supply; Prices

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