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Barriers To Implementing Low-Carbon Technologies

Author

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  • KENNETH GILLINGHAM

    (Yale University, 195 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA)

  • JAMES SWEENEY

    (Precourt Energy Efficiency Center, Y2E2 Building Room 389, 473 Via Ortega, Stanford, CA 94305-4206, USA)

Abstract

This paper reviews the major barriers to the adoption of low-carbon technologies, with a focus on market failures that provide a rationale for policy intervention to improve economic efficiency. Market failures include externalities, asymmetric information, institutional failures, regulatory failures, and failures of consumer or firm decision-making. We discuss central generation renewable energy technologies, CCS technology, distribution generation renewable energy, and technologies to reduce the demand for energy. For each technology category, we assess whether and how policy might improve economic efficiency, and point to key open research questions.

Suggested Citation

  • Kenneth Gillingham & James Sweeney, 2012. "Barriers To Implementing Low-Carbon Technologies," Climate Change Economics (CCE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 3(04), pages 1-21.
    • Handle: RePEc:wsi:ccexxx:v:03:y:2012:i:04:n:s2010007812500194
    DOI: 10.1142/S2010007812500194
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    Cited by:

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    2. Lei Jin & Keran Duan & Xu Tang, 2018. "What Is the Relationship between Technological Innovation and Energy Consumption? Empirical Analysis Based on Provincial Panel Data from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-13, January.
    3. Natalie Slawinski & Jonatan Pinkse & Timo Busch & Subhabrata Bobby Banerjeed, 2014. "The role of short-termism and uncertainty in organizational inaction on climate change: multilevel framework," Working Papers hal-00961226, HAL.
    4. Zheming Yan & Lan Yi & Kerui Du & Zhiming Yang, 2017. "Impacts of Low-Carbon Innovation and Its Heterogeneous Components on CO 2 Emissions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-14, April.
    5. Lang, Tillmann & Gloerfeld, Erik & Girod, Bastien, 2015. "Don׳t just follow the sun – A global assessment of economic performance for residential building photovoltaics," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 932-951.
    6. Steven E. Sexton & A. Justin Kirkpatrick & Robert Harris & Nicholas Z. Muller, 2018. "Heterogeneous Environmental and Grid Benefits from Rooftop Solar and the Costs of Inefficient Siting Decisions," NBER Working Papers 25241, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Girod, Bastien & Mayer, Sebastian & Nägele, Florian, 2017. "Economic versus belief-based models: Shedding light on the adoption of novel green technologies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 415-426.
    8. Liu, Yong, 2014. "Barriers to the adoption of low carbon production: A multiple-case study of Chinese industrial firms," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 412-421.
    9. Yi-Ming Wei & Jin-Wei Wang & Tianqi Chen & Bi-Ying Yu & Hua Liao, 2018. "Frontiers of Low-Carbon Technologies: Results from Bibliographic Coupling with Sliding Window," CEEP-BIT Working Papers 116, Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research (CEEP), Beijing Institute of Technology.
    10. Hochman, Gal & Timilsina, Govinda R., 2017. "Energy efficiency barriers in commercial and industrial firms in Ukraine: An empirical analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 22-30.
    11. Bo Wang & Chunyan Huang & Huaming Wang & Fangwei Liao, 2022. "Impact Factors in Chinese Construction Enterprises’ Carbon Emission-Reduction Intentions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-17, December.
    12. Tuydes-Yaman, Hediye & Dalkic-Melek, Gulcin & Chakarova, Kristiana & Ozcelik, Asli Sezer, 2024. "Barriers and opportunities (B&O) for developing low carbon transportation (LCT) policies in Turkey," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    13. Victoria Shestalova & Chiara Criscuolo & Nick Johnstone & Carlo Menon, 2014. "Renewable energy policies and cross-border investment: evidence from M&A in solar and wind energy," CPB Discussion Paper 288.rdf, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    14. Geddes, Anna & Schmidt, Tobias S. & Steffen, Bjarne, 2018. "The multiple roles of state investment banks in low-carbon energy finance: An analysis of Australia, the UK and Germany," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 158-170.

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