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Promoting clean technologies: The energy market structure crucially matters

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  • Azomahou, Théophile

    (UNU-MERIT)

  • Boucekkine, Raouf

    (CORE, Universite Catholique de Louvain)

  • Nguyen-Van, Phu

    (CNRS, Université de Cergy-Pontoise,)

Abstract

We develop a general equilibrium vintage capital model with embodied energy-saving technological progress and an explicit energy market to study the impact of investment subsidies on investment and output. Energy and capital are assumed to be complementary in the production process. New machines are less energy consuming and scrapping is endogenous. It is shown that the impact of investment subsidies heavily depends on the structure of the energy market, the mechanism explaining this outcome relying on the tight relationship between the lifetime of capital goods and energy prices via the scrapping conditions inherent to vintage models. In particular, under a free entry structure for the energy sector, investment subsidies boost investment, while the opposite result emerges under natural monopoly if increasing returns in the energy sector are not strong enough.

Suggested Citation

  • Azomahou, Théophile & Boucekkine, Raouf & Nguyen-Van, Phu, 2008. "Promoting clean technologies: The energy market structure crucially matters," MERIT Working Papers 2008-032, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    • Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2008032
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    Cited by:

    1. De Zutter, Elisabeth & Toro, Francisco, 2008. "Normative Power is in the Eye of the Beholder: An Empirical Assessment of Perceptions of EU Identity at the WTO," MERIT Working Papers 2008-074, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    2. Lokshin, Boris & Mohnen, Pierre, 2008. "Wage effects of R&D tax incentives:Evidence from the Netherlands," MERIT Working Papers 2008-034, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Energy-saving; Technological change; Vintage capital; Energy market; Natural monopoly; Investment subsidies;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General
    • Q40 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - General

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