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Support schemes for renewable electricity in the EU

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  • Joan Canton
  • Åsa Johannesson Lindén

Abstract

This paper discusses the level and design of support schemes used to promote renewable electricity in Europe. A theoretical model is presented to determine optimal renewable energy policies. Policies that solely aim to address environmental externalities and energy security risks are unlikely to make renewable power technologies competitive. Learning effects and spillovers are necessary to justify the need for support schemes. The analysis suggests that feed-in premiums guaranteed in addition to the electricity market price should be preferred over feed-in tariffs, which provide the eligible power producer with a guaranteed price. The premiums should be time limited and frequently reviewed. Once the technology becomes competitive, tradable green certificates would be a more suitable support instrument. As regards wind energy, the available estimates of externalities suggest that levels are probably too high in many Member States. In addition, the current promotion of photovoltaics could possibly be more cost-efficient if it targeted technology development more directly.

Suggested Citation

  • Joan Canton & Åsa Johannesson Lindén, 2010. "Support schemes for renewable electricity in the EU," European Economy - Economic Papers 2008 - 2015 408, Directorate General Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission.
    • Handle: RePEc:euf:ecopap:0408
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Moutinho, Victor & Moreira, António Carrizo & Silva, Pedro Miguel, 2015. "The driving forces of change in energy-related CO2 emissions in Eastern, Western, Northern and Southern Europe: The LMDI approach to decomposition analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 1485-1499.
    3. Larsson, Simon & Fantazzini, Dean & Davidsson, Simon & Kullander, Sven & Höök, Mikael, 2014. "Reviewing electricity production cost assessments," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 170-183.
    4. Wolfgang Buchholz & Jonas Frank & Hans-Dieter Karl & Johannes Pfeiffer & Karen Pittel & Ursula Triebswetter & Jochen Habermann & Wolfgang Mauch & Thomas Staudacher, 2012. "Die Zukunft der Energiemärkte: Ökonomische Analyse und Bewertung von Potenzialen und Handlungsmöglichkeiten," ifo Forschungsberichte, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 57, October.
    5. Jurate Jaraite & Amin Karimu & Andrius Kazukauskas, 2017. "Policy-Induced Expansion of Solar and Wind Power Capacity: Economic Growth and Employment in EU Countries," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 5).
    6. Sijm, Jos & Lehmann, Paul & Chewpreecha, Unnada & Gawel, Erik & Mercure, Jean-Francois & Pollitt, Hector & Strunz, Sebastian, 2014. "EU climate and energy policy beyond 2020: Are additional targets and instruments for renewables economically reasonable?," UFZ Discussion Papers 3/2014, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Division of Social Sciences (ÖKUS).
    7. Janina Ketterer & Jana Lippelt, 2011. "Kurz zum Klima: Zur Entwicklung der erneuerbaren Energien," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 64(21), pages 37-40, November.
    8. Patricia Milanés-Montero & Alberto Arroyo-Farrona & Esteban Pérez-Calderón, 2018. "Assessment of the Influence of Feed-In Tariffs on the Profitability of European Photovoltaic Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-16, September.
    9. Boute, Anatole, 2012. "Promoting renewable energy through capacity markets: An analysis of the Russian support scheme," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 68-77.
    10. Guillaume Bourgeois & Sandrine Mathy & Philippe Menanteau, 2017. "The effect of climate policies on renewable energies : a review of econometric studies [L’effet des politiques climatiques sur les énergies renouvelables : une revue des études économétriques]," Post-Print hal-01585906, HAL.
    11. P. Fabbri & A. Ninni, 2015. "Environmental Problems and Development Policies for Renewable Energy in BRIC Countries," Economics Department Working Papers 2015-EP02, Department of Economics, Parma University (Italy).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    european union; eu; setzer; wolff; van den Noord; euro area; money; heterogeneity; money holdings;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q42 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Alternative Energy Sources
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies

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