The economics of renewable energy support

• Verfasst von: Abrell, Jan [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Rausch, Sebastian [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Streitberger, Clemens [VerfasserIn]
• Titel: The economics of renewable energy support
• Verf.angabe: Jan Abrell, Sebastian Rausch, Clemens Streitberger
• E-Jahr: 2019
• Jahr: 15 July 2019
• Umfang: 24 S.
• Fussnoten: Gesehen am 28.03.2023
• Titel Quelle: Enthalten in: Journal of public economics
• Ort Quelle: Amsterdam [u.a.] : Elsevier, 1972
• Jahr Quelle: 2019
• Band/Heft Quelle: 176(2019), Seite 94-117
• ISSN Quelle: 1879-2316
• DOI: doi:10.1016/j.jpubeco.2019.06.002
• Datenträger: Online-Ressource
• Sprache: eng
• K10plus-PPN: 1840273526

Abstract

This paper uses theoretical and numerical economic equilibrium models to examine optimal renewable energy (RE) support policies for wind and solar resources in the presence of a carbon externality associated with the use of fossil fuels. We emphasize three main issues for policy design: the heterogeneity of intermittent natural resources, budget-neutral financing rules, and incentives for carbon mitigation. We find that differentiated subsidies for wind and solar, while being optimal, only yield negligible efficiency gains. Policies with smart financing of RE subsidies which either relax budget neutrality or use polluter-pays financing in the context of budget-neutral schemes can, however, approximate socially optimal outcomes. Our analysis suggests that optimally designed RE support policies do not necessarily have to be viewed as a costly second-best option when carbon pricing is unavailable.