IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/cor/louvco/2011072.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Smart-grid investments, regulation and organization

Author

Listed:
  • AGRELL, Per

    (Université catholique de Louvain, CORE and LSM, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium)

  • BOGETOFT, Peter

    (Copenhagen Business School, Department of Economics, Denmark)

Abstract

Worldwide, but in particular in North America and Europe, the grid infrastructure managers are facing demands for reinvestments in new assets with higher on-grid and off-grid functionality in order to promote energy efficiency and low-carbon conversion of the energy sector. To meet societal policy objectives in terms of carbon dioxide emissions, both the composition of the generators in favor of distributed energy resources (DER) and the load, promoting integration with downstream energy useage, will change. In this paper, we chararcterize some of the effects of new asset investments policy on the network tasks, assets and costs and contrast this with the assumptions implicit or explicit in current economic network regulation. The resulting challenge is identified as the change in the direction of higher asymmetry of information and higher capital intensity, combined with ambiguities in terms of task separation. To provide guidance, we present a model of investment provision under regulation between a distribution system operator (DSO) and a potential investor-generation. The results from the model confirm the hypothesis that network regulation should find a focal point, should integrate externalities in the performance assessment and should avoid wide delegation of contracting-billing for smart-grid investments.

Suggested Citation

  • AGRELL, Per & BOGETOFT, Peter, 2011. "Smart-grid investments, regulation and organization," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2011072, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    • Handle: RePEc:cor:louvco:2011072
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://sites.uclouvain.be/core/publications/coredp/coredp2011.html
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jean Tirole, 1988. "The Theory of Industrial Organization," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262200716, April.
    2. Dilip Mookherjee, 2006. "Decentralization, Hierarchies, and Incentives: A Mechanism Design Perspective," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 44(2), pages 367-390, June.
    3. Paul Joskow & Jean Tirole, 2005. "Merchant Transmission Investment," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(2), pages 233-264, June.
    4. Macho-Stadler, Ines & Perez-Castrillo, J. David, 1993. "Moral hazard with several agents : The gains from cooperation," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 73-100, March.
    5. Sterlacchini, Alessandro, 2006. "The R&D drop in European utilities. Should we care about it?," MPRA Paper 31, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. M.E. Beesley & S.C. Littlechild, 1989. "The Regulation of Privatized Monopolies in the United Kingdom," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 20(3), pages 454-472, Autumn.
    7. Jelovac, Izabela & Macho-Stadler, Ines, 2002. "Comparing organizational structures in health services," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 49(4), pages 501-522, December.
    8. Inés Macho‐Stadler & J. David Pérez‐Castrillo, 1998. "Centralized and Decentralized Contracts in a Moral Hazard Environment," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(4), pages 489-510, December.
    9. AGRELL, Per J. & BOGETOFT, Peter, 2010. "Harmonizing the Nordic regulation of electricity distribution," LIDAM Reprints CORE 2376, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    10. Jean-Jacques Laffont & Jean Tirole, 1993. "A Theory of Incentives in Procurement and Regulation," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262121743, April.
    11. PER AGRELL & Peter Bogetoft & Jørgen Tind, 2005. "DEA and Dynamic Yardstick Competition in Scandinavian Electricity Distribution," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 173-201, May.
    12. Pepermans, G. & Driesen, J. & Haeseldonckx, D. & Belmans, R. & D'haeseleer, W., 2005. "Distributed generation: definition, benefits and issues," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 787-798, April.
    13. Lazear, Edward P, 1989. "Pay Equality and Industrial Politics," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 97(3), pages 561-580, June.
    14. Vogel, Philip, 2009. "Efficient investment signals for distributed generation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(9), pages 3665-3672, September.
    15. Littlechild, Stephen C. & Skerk, Carlos J., 2008. "Transmission expansion in Argentina 1: The origins of policy," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 1367-1384, July.
    16. Paul L. Joskow, 2006. "Incentive Regulation for Electricity Networks," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 4(02), pages 3-9, July.
    17. Nahum D. Melumad & Dilip Mookherjee & Stefan Reichelstein, 1995. "Hierarchical Decentralization of Incentive Contracts," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 26(4), pages 654-672, Winter.
    18. Littlechild Stephen, 2002. "Competitive Bidding for a Long-Term Electricity Distribution Contract," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 1(1), pages 1-38, March.
    19. Paul L. Joskow, 2006. "Incentive Regulation for Electricity Networks," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 4(2), pages 3-9, 07.
    20. Paul L. Joskow, 2014. "Incentive Regulation in Theory and Practice: Electricity Distribution and Transmission Networks," NBER Chapters, in: Economic Regulation and Its Reform: What Have We Learned?, pages 291-344, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    21. Rob Aalbers & Viktoria Kocsis & Victoria Shestalova, 2011. "Optimal regulation under unknown supply of distributed generation," CPB Discussion Paper 192, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    22. Jan Moen, 2009. "Regional Initiative: Which Appropriate Market Design?," RSCAS Working Papers 2009/60, European University Institute.
    23. Peter Bogetoft, 1997. "DEA-based yardstick competition: The optimality of best practice regulation," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 73(0), pages 277-298, October.
    24. Richard Green, 2005. "Electricity and Markets," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 21(1), pages 67-87, Spring.
    25. Myerson, Roger B, 1979. "Incentive Compatibility and the Bargaining Problem," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 47(1), pages 61-73, January.
    26. Leonardo Meeus & Marcelo Saguan & Jean-Michel Glachant & Ronnie Belmans, 2010. "Smart Regulation for Smart Grids," RSCAS Working Papers 2010/45, European University Institute.
    27. Michael G. Pollitt, 2008. "The Future of Electricity (and Gas) Regulation," Working Papers EPRG 0811, Energy Policy Research Group, Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.
    28. Richard A. Posner, 1974. "Theories of Economic Regulation," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 5(2), pages 335-358, Autumn.
    29. repec:cor:louvrp:-2376 is not listed on IDEAS
    30. Michael G. Pollitt, 2008. "The Future of Electricity (and Gas) Regulation in a Low-carbon Policy World," The Energy Journal, , vol. 29(2_suppl), pages 63-94, December.
    31. Jamasb, Tooraj & Pollitt, Michael, 2008. "Liberalisation and R&D in network industries: The case of the electricity industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(6-7), pages 995-1008, July.
    32. Yeon-Koo Che & Seung-Weon Yoo, 2001. "Optimal Incentives for Teams," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(3), pages 525-541, June.
    33. Dilip Mookherjee, 1984. "Optimal Incentive Schemes with Many Agents," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 51(3), pages 433-446.
    34. Sterlacchini, Alessandro, 2012. "Energy R&D in private and state-owned utilities: An analysis of the major world electric companies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 494-506.
    35. Agrell, Per J. & Bogetoft, Peter & Mikkers, Misja, 2013. "Smart-grid investments, regulation and organization," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 656-666.
    36. Barry J. Nalebuff & Joseph E. Stiglitz, 1983. "Prices and Incentives: Towards a General Theory of Compensation and Competition," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 14(1), pages 21-43, Spring.
    37. Robert W. Fri, 2003. "The Role of Knowledge: Technological Innovation in the Energy System," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 4), pages 51-74.
    38. Grubb,Michael & Jamasb,Tooraj & Pollitt,Michael G. (ed.), 2008. "Delivering a Low Carbon Electricity System," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521888844, September.
    39. de Joode, J. & Jansen, J.C. & van der Welle, A.J. & Scheepers, M.J.J., 2009. "Increasing penetration of renewable and distributed electricity generation and the need for different network regulation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(8), pages 2907-2915, August.
    40. Rick Antle & Peter Bogetoft & Andrew W. Stark, 1999. "Selection from Many Investments with Managerial Private Information," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(3), pages 397-418, September.
    41. repec:ces:ifodic:v:4:y:2006:i:2:p:14567496 is not listed on IDEAS
    42. Woodman, Bridget & Baker, Philip, 2008. "Regulatory frameworks for decentralised energy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(12), pages 4527-4531, December.
    43. Oliver E. Williamson, 1976. "Franchise Bidding for Natural Monopolies -- in General and with Respect to CATV," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 7(1), pages 73-104, Spring.
    44. Agrell, Per J. & Bogetoft, Peter & Tind, Jorgen, 2002. "Incentive plans for productive efficiency, innovation and learning," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(1), pages 1-11, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Robert Hahn & Robert Metcalfe & Florian Rundhammer, 2020. "Promoting customer engagement: A new trend in utility regulation," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 14(1), pages 121-149, January.
    2. Ola Kvaløy & Trond E. Olsen, 2006. "Team Incentives in Relational Employment Contracts," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 24(1), pages 139-170, January.
    3. Cédric Clastres, 2011. "Smart grids : Another step towards competition, energy security and climate change objectives," Post-Print halshs-00617702, HAL.
    4. Kemp, Alexander G. & Phimister, Euan, 2010. "Economic Principles and Determination of Infrastructure Third Party Tariffs in the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS)," SIRE Discussion Papers 2010-115, Scottish Institute for Research in Economics (SIRE).
    5. Littlechild, Stephen C. & Skerk, Carlos J., 2008. "Transmission expansion in Argentina 2: The Fourth Line revisited," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 1385-1419, July.
    6. Chikkatur, Ananth P. & Sagar, Ambuj D. & Abhyankar, Nikit & Sreekumar, N., 2007. "Tariff-based incentives for improving coal-power-plant efficiencies in India," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(7), pages 3744-3758, July.
    7. Cédric Clastres, 2010. "Les réseaux intelligents : régulation, investissement et gestion de la demande électrique," Post-Print halshs-00539818, HAL.
    8. Clastres, Cédric, 2011. "Smart grids: Another step towards competition, energy security and climate change objectives," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(9), pages 5399-5408, September.
    9. AGRELL, Per & BOGETOFT, Peter, 2013. "Benchmarking and regulation," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2013008, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    10. Haney, Aoife Brophy & Pollitt, Michael G., 2009. "Efficiency analysis of energy networks: An international survey of regulators," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(12), pages 5814-5830, December.
    11. Bernd Theilen, 2012. "Decentralization of contracts with interim side-contracting," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 73(4), pages 561-590, October.
    12. Cossent, Rafael & Gómez, Tomás, 2013. "Implementing incentive compatible menus of contracts to regulate electricity distribution investments," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 28-38.
    13. Vogel, Philip, 2009. "Efficient investment signals for distributed generation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(9), pages 3665-3672, September.
    14. Theilen, Bernd, 1965-, 2011. "Decentralization of contracts with interim sidecontracting," Working Papers 2072/169684, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Department of Economics.
    15. Armstrong, Mark & Sappington, David E.M., 2007. "Recent Developments in the Theory of Regulation," Handbook of Industrial Organization, in: Mark Armstrong & Robert Porter (ed.), Handbook of Industrial Organization, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 27, pages 1557-1700, Elsevier.
    16. Richard Meade, 2015. "Incentives, Efficiency and Quality in Regulated Monopolies under Customer Ownership," Working Papers 2015-05, Auckland University of Technology, Department of Economics.
    17. Ariel Casarin, 2014. "Productivity throughout regulatory cycles in gas utilities," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 45(2), pages 115-137, April.
    18. Adwoa Asantewaa & Tooraj Jamasb & Manuel Llorca, 2022. "Electricity Sector Reform Performance in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Parametric Distance Function Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-29, March.
    19. Fleckinger, Pierre, 2012. "Correlation and relative performance evaluation," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 147(1), pages 93-117.
    20. Agrell, Per J. & Brea-Solís, Humberto, 2017. "Capturing heterogeneity in electricity distribution operations: A critical review of latent class modelling," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 361-372.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    regulation; energy; networks; investments;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:cor:louvco:2011072. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Alain GILLIS (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/coreebe.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.