IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/eneeco/v94y2021ics0140988320304060.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Renewable electricity support in perfect markets: Economic incentives under diverse subsidy instruments

Author

Listed:
  • Meus, Jelle
  • De Vits, Sarah
  • S'heeren, Nele
  • Delarue, Erik
  • Proost, Stef

Abstract

We aim to provide an overview of renewable subsidy schemes, thereby focusing on renewable investment incentives and cost effects in a uniformly-priced market zone. Specifically, we develop a deterministic short-term market equilibrium model that allows to investigate both siting and technological distortions in onshore wind turbine deployment. This paper includes five support instruments: the feed-in tariff, sliding feed-in premium, fixed feed-in premium, investment-based subsidies and capacity-based subsidies. Investment decisions under these instruments are analyzed using an extensive German case study. Apart from providing a general overview, our contribution is threefold. First, we show that investment- and capacity-based subsidies generally are not equivalent, despite being used interchangeably in literature. Generators granted investment offsets opt for the most system-friendly technologies, whilst those granted capacity-based subsidies tend to select the least system-friendly ones. As these two generation-independent subsidy instruments promote very different technologies, we question the prevailing belief that learning-by-doing externalities must be related to capacity. Second, sliding feed-in premiums yield very similar outcomes as fixed feed-in premiums for both investment and cost effects, and can substitute fixed premiums to mitigate investment risks. This conclusion holds for technology-specific support within a uniformly-priced market zone, but might not hold over multiple pricing zones or for technology-neutral support. Finally, we show that most of these effects arise from technological distortions, whilst locational incentives are roughly the same under all instruments.

Suggested Citation

  • Meus, Jelle & De Vits, Sarah & S'heeren, Nele & Delarue, Erik & Proost, Stef, 2021. "Renewable electricity support in perfect markets: Economic incentives under diverse subsidy instruments," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:94:y:2021:i:c:s0140988320304060
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2020.105066
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140988320304060
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.eneco.2020.105066?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cludius, Johanna & Hermann, Hauke & Matthes, Felix Chr. & Graichen, Verena, 2014. "The merit order effect of wind and photovoltaic electricity generation in Germany 2008–2016: Estimation and distributional implications," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 302-313.
    2. Johannes Wagner, 2019. "Grid Investment and Support Schemes for Renewable Electricity Generation," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 2).
    3. Pechan, A., 2017. "Where do all the windmills go? Influence of the institutional setting on the spatial distribution of renewable energy installation," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 75-86.
    4. Würzburg, Klaas & Labandeira, Xavier & Linares, Pedro, 2013. "Renewable generation and electricity prices: Taking stock and new evidence for Germany and Austria," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(S1), pages 159-171.
    5. Karsten Neuhoff & Nils May & Jörn C. Richstein, 2018. "Renewable Energy Policy in the Age of Falling Technology Costs," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1746, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    6. Grischa Perino, 2018. "New EU ETS Phase 4 rules temporarily puncture waterbed," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 8(4), pages 262-264, April.
    7. Ketterer, Janina C., 2014. "The impact of wind power generation on the electricity price in Germany," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 270-280.
    8. Newbery, David & Pollitt, Michael G. & Ritz, Robert A. & Strielkowski, Wadim, 2018. "Market design for a high-renewables European electricity system," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 695-707.
    9. Bjørnebye, Henrik & Hagem, Cathrine & Lind, Arne, 2018. "Optimal location of renewable power," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 1203-1215.
    10. Orvika Rosnes, 2014. "Subsidies for renewable energy in inflexible power markets," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 46(3), pages 318-343, December.
    11. Benhmad, François & Percebois, Jacques, 2018. "Photovoltaic and wind power feed-in impact on electricity prices: The case of Germany," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 317-326.
    12. Ward, K.R. & Green, R. & Staffell, I., 2019. "Getting prices right in structural electricity market models," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 1190-1206.
    13. Jaffe, Adam B. & Newell, Richard G. & Stavins, Robert N., 2005. "A tale of two market failures: Technology and environmental policy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(2-3), pages 164-174, August.
    14. Hirth, Lion & Müller, Simon, 2016. "System-friendly wind power," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 51-63.
    15. Michael Pahle, Wolf-Peter Schill, Christian Gambardella, and Oliver Tietjen, 2016. "Renewable Energy Support, Negative Prices, and Real-time Pricing," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Sustainab).
    16. Aune, Finn Roar & Dalen, Hanne Marit & Hagem, Cathrine, 2012. "Implementing the EU renewable target through green certificate markets," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 992-1000.
    17. Paschen, Marius, 2016. "Dynamic analysis of the German day-ahead electricity spot market," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 118-128.
    18. Meus, Jelle & Van den Bergh, Kenneth & Delarue, Erik & Proost, Stef, 2019. "On international renewable cooperation mechanisms: The impact of national RES-E support schemes," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 859-873.
    19. François Benhmad & Jacques Percebois, 2016. "Wind power feed-in impact on electricity prices in Germany 2009-2013," European Journal of Comparative Economics, Cattaneo University (LIUC), vol. 13(1), pages 81-96, June.
    20. Sensfuß, Frank & Ragwitz, Mario & Genoese, Massimo, 2008. "The merit-order effect: A detailed analysis of the price effect of renewable electricity generation on spot market prices in Germany," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(8), pages 3076-3084, August.
    21. Staffell, Iain & Pfenninger, Stefan, 2016. "Using bias-corrected reanalysis to simulate current and future wind power output," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 1224-1239.
    22. Andor, Mark & Voss, Achim, 2016. "Optimal renewable-energy promotion: Capacity subsidies vs. generation subsidies," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 144-158.
    23. Michael Pahle, Wolf-Peter Schill, Christian Gambardella, and Oliver Tietjen, 2016. "Renewable Energy Support, Negative Prices, and Real-time Pricing," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Sustainab).
    24. Huntington, Samuel C. & Rodilla, Pablo & Herrero, Ignacio & Batlle, Carlos, 2017. "Revisiting support policies for RES-E adulthood: Towards market compatible schemes," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 474-483.
    25. 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.
    26. Winkler, Jenny & Gaio, Alberto & Pfluger, Benjamin & Ragwitz, Mario, 2016. "Impact of renewables on electricity markets – Do support schemes matter?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 157-167.
    27. May, Nils, 2017. "The impact of wind power support schemes on technology choices," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 343-354.
    28. Ryberg, David Severin & Caglayan, Dilara Gulcin & Schmitt, Sabrina & Linßen, Jochen & Stolten, Detlef & Robinius, Martin, 2019. "The future of European onshore wind energy potential: Detailed distribution and simulation of advanced turbine designs," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 182(C), pages 1222-1238.
    29. François Benhmad & Jacques Percebois, 2018. "Photovoltaic and wind power feed-in impact on electricity prices: The case of Germany," Post-Print hal-01830537, HAL.
    30. Grothe, Oliver & Müsgens, Felix, 2013. "The influence of spatial effects on wind power revenues under direct marketing rules," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 237-247.
    31. Fischer, Carolyn & Newell, Richard G., 2008. "Environmental and technology policies for climate mitigation," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 55(2), pages 142-162, March.
    32. Elberg, Christina & Hagspiel, Simeon, 2015. "Spatial dependencies of wind power and interrelations with spot price dynamics," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 241(1), pages 260-272.
    33. Gürtler, Marc & Paulsen, Thomas, 2018. "The effect of wind and solar power forecasts on day-ahead and intraday electricity prices in Germany," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 150-162.
    34. Bunn, Derek & Yusupov, Tim, 2015. "The progressive inefficiency of replacing renewable obligation certificates with contracts-for-differences in the UK electricity market," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 298-309.
    35. Schmidt, J. & Lehecka, G. & Gass, V. & Schmid, E., 2013. "Where the wind blows: Assessing the effect of fixed and premium based feed-in tariffs on the spatial diversification of wind turbines," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 269-276.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Savelli, Iacopo & Hardy, Jeffrey & Hepburn, Cameron & Morstyn, Thomas, 2022. "Putting wind and solar in their place: Internalising congestion and other system-wide costs with enhanced contracts for difference in Great Britain," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    2. Ryszard Bartnik & Dariusz Pączko, 2021. "Methodology for Analysing Electricity Generation Unit Costs in Renewable Energy Sources (RES)," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-15, November.
    3. Schipfer, F. & Mäki, E. & Schmieder, U. & Lange, N. & Schildhauer, T. & Hennig, C. & Thrän, D., 2022. "Status of and expectations for flexible bioenergy to support resource efficiency and to accelerate the energy transition," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    4. Roach, Martin & Meeus, Leonardo, 2023. "An energy system model to study the impact of combining carbon pricing with direct support for renewable gases," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).
    5. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Wang, Chih-Wei & Ho, Shan-Ju, 2022. "The dimension of green economy: Culture viewpoint," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 122-138.
    6. Grimm, Veronika & Sölch, Christian & Zöttl, Gregor, 2022. "Emissions reduction in a second-best world: On the long-term effects of overlapping regulations," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Meus, Jelle & Van den Bergh, Kenneth & Delarue, Erik & Proost, Stef, 2019. "On international renewable cooperation mechanisms: The impact of national RES-E support schemes," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 859-873.
    2. Eising, Manuel & Hobbie, Hannes & Möst, Dominik, 2020. "Future wind and solar power market values in Germany — Evidence of spatial and technological dependencies?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    3. Kolb, Sebastian & Dillig, Marius & Plankenbühler, Thomas & Karl, Jürgen, 2020. "The impact of renewables on electricity prices in Germany - An update for the years 2014–2018," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    4. Winkler, Jenny & Pudlik, Martin & Ragwitz, Mario & Pfluger, Benjamin, 2016. "The market value of renewable electricity – Which factors really matter?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 464-481.
    5. Bernath, Christiane & Deac, Gerda & Sensfuß, Frank, 2021. "Impact of sector coupling on the market value of renewable energies – A model-based scenario analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    6. Samarth Kumar & David Schönheit & Matthew Schmidt & Dominik Möst, 2019. "Parsing the Effects of Wind and Solar Generation on the German Electricity Trade Surplus," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-17, September.
    7. Gürtler, Marc & Paulsen, Thomas, 2018. "The effect of wind and solar power forecasts on day-ahead and intraday electricity prices in Germany," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 150-162.
    8. May, Nils, 2017. "The impact of wind power support schemes on technology choices," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 343-354.
    9. Pradhan, Ashis Kumar & Rout, Sandhyarani & Khan, Imran Ahmed, 2021. "Does market concentration affect wholesale electricity prices? An analysis of the Indian electricity sector in the COVID-19 pandemic context," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    10. Klie, Leo & Madlener, Reinhard, 2020. "Concentration Versus Diversification: A Spatial Deployment Approach to Improve the Economics of Wind Power," FCN Working Papers 2/2020, E.ON Energy Research Center, Future Energy Consumer Needs and Behavior (FCN), revised May 2021.
    11. Maniatis, Georgios I. & Milonas, Nikolaos T., 2022. "The impact of wind and solar power generation on the level and volatility of wholesale electricity prices in Greece," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    12. Pechan, A., 2017. "Where do all the windmills go? Influence of the institutional setting on the spatial distribution of renewable energy installation," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 75-86.
    13. Macedo, Daniela Pereira & Marques, António Cardoso & Damette, Olivier, 2022. "The role of electricity flows and renewable electricity production in the behaviour of electricity prices in Spain," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 885-900.
    14. Macedo, Daniela Pereira & Marques, António Cardoso & Damette, Olivier, 2020. "The impact of the integration of renewable energy sources in the electricity price formation: is the Merit-Order Effect occurring in Portugal?," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    15. Hu, Jing & Harmsen, Robert & Crijns-Graus, Wina & Worrell, Ernst & van den Broek, Machteld, 2018. "Identifying barriers to large-scale integration of variable renewable electricity into the electricity market: A literature review of market design," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P2), pages 2181-2195.
    16. Grimm, Veronika & Sölch, Christian & Zöttl, Gregor, 2022. "Emissions reduction in a second-best world: On the long-term effects of overlapping regulations," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    17. Frondel, Manuel & Kaeding, Matthias & Sommer, Stephan, 2022. "Market premia for renewables in Germany: The effect on electricity prices," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    18. Panos, Evangelos & Densing, Martin, 2019. "The future developments of the electricity prices in view of the implementation of the Paris Agreements: Will the current trends prevail, or a reversal is ahead?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    19. Engelhorn, Thorsten & Müsgens, Felix, 2018. "How to estimate wind-turbine infeed with incomplete stock data: A general framework with an application to turbine-specific market values in Germany," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 542-557.
    20. Hosius, Emil & Seebaß, Johann V. & Wacker, Benjamin & Schlüter, Jan Chr., 2023. "The impact of offshore wind energy on Northern European wholesale electricity prices," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 341(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:94:y:2021:i:c:s0140988320304060. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/eneco .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.