David Newbery: European Electricity and Climate Change Policy: MSc in Environmental Policy, Cranfield University Presented 15 December 2010 | Download PDF Continue Reading
Author Archives: EPRG Admin
Leakage and Instruments to Address Leakage
The issue of leakage of carbon emissions from emission trading schemes to other regions resulting from competitiveness pressures is a crucial political issue underpinning the design of such schemes. Our research focuses on analysing the scale of such leakage, the potential impacts of competitiveness concerns and the use of instruments such as Border Tax Adjustments… Continue Reading
EU ETS Auctions Workshop
University of Cambridge, 12 January 2007 Summary The Electricity Policy Research Group (EPRG) hosted a one-day workshop designed to address the economic and technical issues relating to auctions for CO2 allowances in the European Emissions Trading Scheme. The workshop was underwritten by Climate Strategies and contributes to the research programme of the EPRG. The programme… Continue Reading
Auctions
The EU ETS is moving towards greater auctioning of allowances. Our research focuses on the design of such auctions and the impacts of auctioning. Projects and Workshops EU ETS Auctions Workshop Continue Reading
Free Allowance Allocation
The allocation of allowances to firms operating within the European Emissions Trading Scheme is a fundamental political issue, influencing the effectiveness and impact of such schemes. Our research analyses the impact of National Allocation Plans and the use of free allowance allocation to alleviate competiveness concerns. Projects and Workshops Second Phase NAPs Comparison Tables Continue Reading
Second Phase National Allocation Plans of the EU ETS – A Comparative Analysis
Download the Excel file with Tables Recent Updates of Tables PROJECT INFOCombining efforts of an international team of experts, the available Second Phase National Allocation Plans are evaluated against detailed criteria. Our objective is to facilitate easy evaluation and comparison of Second Phase NAPs. The information and data are extracted from official sources and documents, and… Continue Reading
Policy Overview for Emissions Trading and Carbon Pricing
This research focuses on the policy framework underpinning and overarching emission trading schemes. Carbon pricing and emissions trading schemes are now key tools in climate policy frameworks; analysis of the current structures and frameworks and the future development for such schemes is covered below. Our Projects and Workshops Review of EU ETS (2007) Continue Reading
Review of EU ETS (2007)
To inform the discussion of EU ETS design post-2012, we conducted roundtables with academic, policy, industry and NGO participants: Continue Reading
Research on the Future of Network Regulation
Short Description: Research on the Future of Network Regulation We published three working papers based on reports funded by Ofgem that examine various aspects of the future of network regulation. 0714 looked at the case for ownership unbundling of transmission networks. 0811 examined new ideas for the future of regulation drawing on EPRG research, particularly… Continue Reading
Public Communications and Understanding Sources of Opposition to CCS
Short Description: Public Communications and Understanding Sources of Opposition to CCS This project addresses the quality and availability of public communications materials on CCS and the possible sources of opposition to CCS. There are two main work packages: a compilation (into a searchable database) and assessment of public communications materials and a study of how… Continue Reading
Cambridge-MIT Institute Energy Security Initiative
Short Description: Cambridge-MIT Institute Energy Security Initiative Supported with several hundred thousand pounds of internal Cambridge-MIT Institute resource the CMI-ESI boosted the University’s understanding of energy security issues. The Initiative worked in coordination with the EPRG and now EPRG possesses much in-house competence on energy security. The centres activities are archived at: http://www.energysecurityinitiative.org Amount Awarded:… Continue Reading
CAPPCCO (Chinese Advanced Power Plant Carbon Capture Options)
Short Description: CAPPCCO (Chinese Advanced Power Plant Carbon Capture Options) The CAPPCCO project, led by Imperial College London with partners from both academia and industry in the UK and China had three broad goals, to: Develop and define options for integrating carbon dioxide capture plant with advanced Chinese pulverised coal power plants to allow a… Continue Reading
NZEC (Near-Zero Emissions Coal plant)
Short Description: NZEC (Near-Zero Emissions Coal plant) The joint UK-China Near Zero Emissions Coal (NZEC) initiative addresses the challenge of increasing energy production from coal in China and the need to tackle growing CO2 emissions. The EU-China NZEC agreement was signed at the EU-China Summit under the UK’s presidency of the EU in September 2005… Continue Reading
Near CO2 New Participation and communication strategies for neighbours of CO2 capture and storage operations
Short Description: Near CO2 New Participation and communication strategies for neighbours of CO2 capture and storage operations The purpose of this project is to develop effective strategies for: Objective communication to stakeholders and the public at large about risks and advantages of CO2 capture and storage. Involving stakeholders and the public in local decision-making on… Continue Reading
FENCO-ERA Impact of Communication
Short Description: FENCO-ERA “Impact of Communication” The main assumption of the project is that communication on CCS should enable the public to develop their own well-considered opinions on the technologies, otherwise the strength with which the opinions on CCS are held will be very low and therefore these opinions will be very unstable. If public… Continue Reading
Thorium Fuelled Accelerator Driven Subcritical Reactors for Power Generation
Short Description: Thorium Fuelled Accelerator Driven Subcritical Reactors for Power Generation This EPSRC responsive mode project concerned the economic and technical feasibility of a possible new type of nuclear power station fuelled with thorium and made functional by the addition of neutrons from a particle accelerator-based process. The work complemented to a wider set of… Continue Reading
ISDCP
Short Description: ISDCP Domestic climate policies play an important part in shifting countries towards a low-carbon development trajectory. Six country case studies explore the domestic drivers and barriers for policies with climate (co-) benefits in developing countries. They were supported with analytic papers on intermediate indicators, lessons from the application of conditionality, the experience from… Continue Reading
Financing Transmission for Switzerland
Short Description: Financing Transmission for Switzerland The aim of this report was to review the key economic issues, problems and potential solutions that the SFOE and any future Swiss regulator may face as Switzerland embarks on its reforms of the electricity sector and the EU takes further measures to create the Single Electricity Market. The… Continue Reading
DTI/CCP (CO2 Capture Project) Communications
Short Description: DTI/CCP (CO2 Capture Project) Communications With funding from the then-UK Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Cambridge was responsible for coordinating a global assessment of barriers and opportunities to CCS in a number of countries including China, South Africa, India and Japan. Cambridge was responsible for the fieldwork in China together with partners… Continue Reading
Benchmarking gas transmission companies
Short Description: Benchmarking gas transmission companies This project involved working with a number of European regulators to undertake international benchmarking between their gas transmission utilities and similar gas transmission utilities in the US. The project resulted in a report to the CEER highlighting the theoretical benefits of such international benchmarking in terms of identifying the… Continue Reading
TOCSIN Technology- Oriented Cooperation and Strategies in India and China
Short Description: TOCSIN Technology- Oriented Cooperation and Strategies in India and China The FP6 TOCSIN project has evaluated climate change mitigation options in China and India and the conditions for strategic cooperation on research, development and demonstration (RD&D) and technology transfer with the European Union. In particular, the project investigated the strategic dimensions of RD&D… Continue Reading
UK Carbon Capture and Storage Research Centre (UKCCSRC)
Short description: UK Carbon Capture and Storage Research Centre (UKCCSRC) The aim of the UKCCSRC is to provide a national focal point for CCS research and development in order to bring together the user community and academics to analyse problems, devise and carry out world-leading research and share delivery, thus maximising impact. The amount of… Continue Reading
UK-SHEC
Short Description: UK-SHEC UKSHEC (United Kingdom Sustainable Hydrogen Energy Consortium) is a research programme that aims to develop new energy systems based on hydrogen and foster the adoption of renewable technologies, notably biomass and marine energy. The Consortium is Universities of Bath, Oxford, Birmingham, Cambridge, Glasgow, Manchester, Nottingham, Salford, Strathclyde, University College London and the… Continue Reading
SUPERGEN – Flexnet
Short Description: SUPERGEN – Flexnet FlexNet aims to build on the work of FutureNet by investigating the major technical, economic, policy and social developments that need to happen to make flexible networks a reality. Thorough analysis is combined with illustrations of specific outputs where possible, so that ideas can be taken up and implemented by… Continue Reading
SUPERGEN Futurenet
Short Description: SUPERGEN Futurenet The Future Network Technologies Consortium (FutureNet), which ran from 2003 to 2007, brought together engineers and social scientists from eight UK Universities. The consortium focused on researching the development of an electrical power network that would support and encourage renewable energy sources without compromising quality of service. The EPRG part of… Continue Reading
ESRC Follow-on funding
Short description: ESRC Follow-on funding The project disseminated the results of our 5-year ESRC project that addressed energy policy challenges in a carbon-constrained world, combining the economic analysis of markets and regulation with the specific characteristics of the electricity industry, measuring the impact of regulation and liberalisation on efficiency, investment, security of supply, and R&D.… Continue Reading
CESSA (Coordinating European Security of Supply Activities)
Short Description: CESSA (Coordinating European Security of Supply Activities) The CESSA research programme was financed by the European Union (EC, DG Research) under the Sixth RTD Framework Programme. The main research objectives were to study the Economics and policy interfaces for gas and nuclear in the context of energy security of supply and a… Continue Reading
Towards a Sustainable Energy Economy (TSEC)
Short description: Towards a Sustainable Energy Economy The Electricity Policy Research Group (EPRG) was launched in May 2005 with funding under the ESRC’s Towards a Sustainable Energy Economy, to consolidate existing and fruitful research, to coordinate our future research programme, and to extend our network of Corporate and Institutional Members. The End of Award Report… Continue Reading
EP 67
Karl Markiewicz, Nancy Rose, Catherine Wolfram Does Competition Reduce Costs? Assessing the Impact of Regulatory Restructuring on US Electric Generation Efficiency EP 67 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Abstract: This paper explores the empirical effects of competition on technical efficiency in the context of electricity industry restructuring. Restructuring programs adopted by many U.S. states made… Continue Reading
EP 66
Tooraj Jamasb, Michael Pollitt Electricity Market Reform in the European Union: Review of Progress towards Liberalisation and Integration EP 66 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Abstract: The energy market liberalisation process in Europe is increasingly focused on electricity market integration and related cross border issues. This signals that the liberalisation of national electricity markets is… Continue Reading
EP 65
Xinmin Hu, Daniel Ralph, Eric K Ralph, Peter Bardsley, Michael C Ferris Electricity Generation with Looped Transmission Networks: Bidding to an ISO EP 65 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Continue Reading
EP 64
David Newbery Electricity Liberalisation in Britain: the quest for a satisfactory wholesale market design EP 64 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Abstract: Britain was the exemplar of electricity market reform, demonstrating the importance of ownership unbundling and workable competition in generation and supply. Privatisation created de facto duopolies that supported increasing price-cost margins and induced… Continue Reading
EP 63
Richard Green Electricity Transmission Pricing: How much does it cost to get it wrong? EP 63 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Abstract: Economists know how to calculate optimal prices for electricity transmission. These are rarely applied in practice. This paper develops a thirteen-node model of the transmission system in England and Wales, incorporating losses and… Continue Reading
EP 62
Stephen Littlechild, Carlos Skerk Regulation of Transmission Expansion in Argentina: Part II – Developments since the Fourth Line EP 62 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Abstract: Argentina’s 1992 transmission expansion policy was subsequently modified by, for example, including provision for transmission companies and proposing quality and substation expansions. There have been several such expansions, and… Continue Reading
EP 61
Stephen Littlechild, Carlos Sherk Regulation of Transmission Expansion in Argentina: Part I – State Ownership, Reform and the Fourth Line EP 61 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Abstract: From 1992 to 2002, major expansions of the Argentine electricity transmission sector depended on users proposing, voting and paying for such expansions, which were then put out… Continue Reading
EP 60
Gert Brunekreeft, Karsten Neuhoff, David Newbery Electricity Transmission: An Overview of the Current Debate EP 60 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Continue Reading
EP 59
Karsten Neuhoff Large Scale Deployment of Renewables for Electricity Generation EP 59 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Abstract: Comparisons of resource assessments suggest resource constraints are not an obstacle to the large-scale deployment of renewable energy technologies. Economic analysis identifies barriers to the adoption of renewable energy sources resulting from market structure, competition in an… Continue Reading
EP 58
Fabien Roques, David Newbery, William Nuttall Generation Adequacy and Investment Incentives in Britain: from the Pool to NETA EP 58 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Abstract: Three years after the controversial change of the British market design from compulsory Pool with capacity payments to decentralised energy-only New Electricity Trading Arrangements (NETA) market framework, we compare… Continue Reading
EP 57
Juan-Pablo Montero Tradable Permits with Incomplete Monitoring: Evidence from Santiago’s Particulate Permits Program EP 57 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Abstract: I explore the advantages of tradable emission permits over uniform emission standards when the regulator has incomplete information on firms’ emissions and costs of production and abatement (e.g., air pollution in large cities). Because… Continue Reading
EP 56
Juan-Pablo Montero Pollution Markets with Imperfectly Observed Emissions EP 56 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Abstract: I study the advantages of pollution permit markets over traditional standard regulations when the regulator has incomplete information on firms’ emissions and costs of production and abatement (e.g., air pollution in large cities). Because the regulator only observes each… Continue Reading
EP 55
Andrew Sweeting Market Power in the England and Wales Wholesale Electricity Market 1995-2000 EP 55 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Abstract: This paper shows that generators exercised increasing market power in the England and Wales wholesale electricity market in the second half of the 1990s despite declining market concentration. It examines whether this was consistent… Continue Reading
EP 54
Paul Joskow Transmission Policy in the United States EP 54 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Abstract: This paper provides an overview of the development of electric power transmission access, pricing and investment policies in the U.S. over the last 15 years and evaluates the current state of those policies. It includes a discussion of pre-liberalisation… Continue Reading
EP 53
Paul Joskow, Jean Tirole Reliability and Competitive Electricity Markets EP53 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Abstract: Deregulation of the electricity sector has resulted in conflict between the economic aims of creating competitive wholesale and retail markets, and an engineering focus on reliability of supply. The paper starts by deriving the optimal prices and investment program… Continue Reading
EP 52
Michael Pollitt Electricity Reform in Argentina: Lessons for Developing Countries EP 52 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Abstract: Argentina was one of the first countries in the world to implement a comprehensive reform of its electricity sector in the recent period. Among developing countries only Chile has had a comparably comprehensive and successful reform. This… Continue Reading
EP 51
Michael Pollitt Electricity Reform in Chile: Lessons for Developing Countries EP 51 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Abstract: Chile was the first country in the world to implement a comprehensive reform of its electricity sector in the recent period. Among developing countries only Argentina has had a comparably comprehensive and successful reform. This paper traces… Continue Reading
EP 50
Paul Nillesen, Michael Pollitt The Consequences for Consumer Welfare of the 2001-2003 Electricity Distribution Price Review in The Netherlands EP 50 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Abstract: The Dutch regulatory process for setting the first X-Factors in the electricity distribution sector has gone badly wrong. During two-and-a-half years four different X-Factors were published by the… Continue Reading
EP 48
Karsten Neuhoff, David Newbery Integrating Energy Markets: Does Sequencing Matter? EP 48 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Abstract: This paper addresses three questions that are relevant to integrating different regional transmission areas. Market integrating normally increases the number of competitors and should therefore reduce prices but the first section shows that prices could rise when… Continue Reading
EP 47
Torraj Jamasb, Raffaella Mota, David Newbery, Michael Pollitt Electricity Sector Reform in Developing Countries: A Survey of Empirical Evidence on Determinants and Performance EP 47 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Abstract: This paper reviews the empirical evidence on electricity reform in developing countries. We find that country institutions andsector governance play an important role in… Continue Reading
EP 46
Torraj Jamasb, David Newbery, Michael Pollitt Core Indicators for Determinants and Performance of Electricity Sector in Developing Countries EP 46 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Abstract: Since the early 1990s, substantial resources and effort have been spent on implementing market-oriented electricity reform in developing countries. Important sectoral, economic, and social dimensions are involved in electricity… Continue Reading
EP 45
Stephen Littlechild UK Domestic Energy Contracts: the 28 day rule and experience in Sweden EP 45 | Non-Technical Summary | PDF Abstract: In the UK, domestic customers must be able to terminate energy contracts at 28 days’ notice. This has been seen as a transitional protection for customers and for competition. This paper reviews the… Continue Reading