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Clean or dirty energy: evidence of corruption in the renewable energy sector

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  • Gennaioli, Caterina
  • Tavoni, Massimo

Abstract

This paper studies the link between public policy and corruption for the case of wind energy. We show that publicly subsidized renewable energy can attract criminal appetites and favor the formation of criminal associations between entrepreneurs and politicians able to influence the licensing process. The insights of a simple model of political influence by interest groups are tested empirically using Italian data for the period 1990-2007. Using a difference in difference approach we quantify the impact of a Green Certificate policy aimed at supporting renewables, and find robust evidence that criminal association activity increased more in windy provinces after the introduction of the generous policy regime. The magnitude of the effect is large: the construction of an average wind park is associated with an increase of criminal association activity of 6% in the treatment compared to the control group. Our findings show that in the presence of poor institutions, even well designed market-based policies can have an adverse impact. The analysis is relevant for countries which are generally characterized by heavy bureacracies, weak institutions and by large renewable potential.

Suggested Citation

  • Gennaioli, Caterina & Tavoni, Massimo, 2016. "Clean or dirty energy: evidence of corruption in the renewable energy sector," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 65173, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
  • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:65173
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/65173/
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Donatella Baiardi & Simona Scabrosetti, 2020. "Does the quality of political institutions matter for the effectiveness of environmental taxes? An empirical analysis on CO2 emissions," Working papers 92, Società Italiana di Economia Pubblica.
    3. Deiana, Claudio & Geraci, Andrea, 2021. "Are wind turbines a mafia windfall? The unintended consequences of green incentives," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    4. Lin, Boqiang & Okoye, Jude O., 2023. "Towards renewable energy generation and low greenhouse gas emission in high-income countries: Performance of financial development and governance," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    5. Sinha, Avik & Gupta, Monika & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Sengupta, Tuhin, 2019. "Impact of Corruption in Public Sector on Environmental Quality: Implications for Sustainability in BRICS and Next 11 Countries," MPRA Paper 94357, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 05 Jun 2019.
    6. Jintao Lu & Licheng Ren & Siqin Yao & Jiayuan Qiao & Wadim Strielkowski & Justas Streimikis, 2019. "Comparative Review of Corporate Social Responsibility of Energy Utilities and Sustainable Energy Development Trends in the Baltic States," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-21, September.
    7. Opeyemi, Akinyemi & Uchenna, Efobi & Simplice, Asongu & Evans, Osabuohein, 2019. "Renewable energy, trade performance and the conditional role of finance and institutional capacity in sub-Sahara African countries," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 490-498.
    8. Bonnet, Paolo & Olper, Alessandro, 2024. "Party affiliation, economic interests and U.S. governors’ renewable energy policies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    9. Valeria Virginia Checchi & Michele Polo, 2020. "Blowing in the Wind: The Infiltration of Sicilian Mafia in the Wind Power Business," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 6(2), pages 325-353, July.
    10. Simon C. Parker, 2024. "Democracy, corruption, and endogenous entrepreneurship policy," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 198(3), pages 361-376, March.
    11. Madhu Sehrawat & Sanjay Kumar Singh, 2021. "Do Corruption and Income Inequality Play Spoilsport in The Energy Efficiency-Growth Relationship in BRICS Countries?," Journal of Quantitative Economics, Springer;The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), vol. 19(4), pages 727-746, December.
    12. Ioannis Dokas & Georgios Oikonomou & Minas Panagiotidis & Eleftherios Spyromitros, 2023. "Macroeconomic and Uncertainty Shocks’ Effects on Energy Prices: A Comprehensive Literature Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-35, February.
    13. Hussain, Jamal & Zhou, Kui & Muhammad, Faqir & Khan, Danish & Khan, Anwar & Ali, Najabat & Akhtar, Rizwan, 2021. "Renewable energy investment and governance in countries along the belt & Road Initiative: Does trade openness matter?," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 1278-1289.
    14. Alanda Venter & Roula Inglesi-Lotz, 2021. "Does institutional quality affect electricity supply? A panel SUR estimation," ECONOMICS AND POLICY OF ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2021(2), pages 77-99.
    15. Pellizzone, Anna & Allansdottir, Agnes & De Franco, Roberto & Muttoni, Giovanni & Manzella, Adele, 2017. "Geothermal energy and the public: A case study on deliberative citizens’ engagement in central Italy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 561-570.
    16. Alexander Theisen & Lynne Kiesling & Michael Munger, 2022. "From Airbnb to solar: electricity market platforms as local sharing economies," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 193(3), pages 141-162, December.
    17. Grishnova Olena & Bereziuk Kateryna & Bilan Yuriy, 2021. "Evaluation of the level of corporate social responsibility of Ukrainian nuclear energy producers," Management & Marketing, Sciendo, vol. 16(2), pages 152-166, June.
    18. Shayegh, Soheil & Sanchez, Daniel L., 2021. "Impact of market design on cost-effectiveness of renewable portfolio standards," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    19. Jiao, Jianling & Song, Jiangfeng & Ding, Tao, 2024. "The impact of synergistic development of renewable energy and digital economy on energy intensity: Evidence from 33 countries," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 295(C).
    20. Amoah, Anthony & Asiama, Rexford Kweku & Korle, Kofi & Kwablah, Edmund, 2022. "Corruption: Is it a bane to renewable energy consumption in Africa?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    21. Moliterni, Fabio, 2017. "Analysis of Public Subsidies to the Solar Energy Sector: Corruption and the Role of Institutions," SAS: Society and Sustainability 259482, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    22. Jintao Lu & Licheng Ren & Jiayuan Qiao & Siqin Yao & Wadim Strielkowski & Justas Streimikis, 2019. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Corruption: Implications for the Sustainable Energy Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-20, July.
    23. Donatella Baiardi & Simona Scabrosetti, 2020. "Does the quality of political institutions matter for the effectiveness of environmental taxes? An empirical analysis on CO2 emissions," Working Paper series 20-25, Rimini Centre for Economic Analysis.
    24. Fabio Moliterni, 2017. "Analysis of Public Subsidies to the Solar Energy Sector: Corruption and the Role of Institutions," Working Papers 2017.33, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    25. Bellakhal, Rihab & Ben Kheder, Sonia & Haffoudhi, Houda, 2019. "Governance and renewable energy investment in MENA countries:How does trade matter?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    corruption; government subsidies; natural resources; renewable energy.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products

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