IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/enepol/v160y2022ics0301421521004614.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

German efficiency gone wrong: Unintended incentives arising from the gas TSOs’ benchmarking

Author

Listed:
  • Waidelich, Paul
  • Haug, Tomas
  • Wieshammer, Lorenz

Abstract

The German regulatory framework for gas transmission system operators features a regular efficiency benchmarking that aims to identify inefficient cost components and reduces the allowed revenues accordingly. Using a broad range of data envelopment analysis simulations based on the regulator's data and methodology, this paper identifies problems and potential side effects arising from the efficiency benchmarking. We find that the benchmarking results are highly sensitive to the selection of relevant cost drivers and hence may not reflect true efficiency for all network operators. In its current form, the benchmarking creates incentives to game the system and to favour physical network expansion over optimising network usage, which is undesirable given the uncertain demand outlook for gas networks. In addition, companies can face disincentives to forego specific types of expansion projects, which increases misallocation risks. As a remedy, we suggest to account for misspecification risks and reduce the scope for gaming behaviour when defining and selecting cost driver variables. In addition, network usage should be reflected in benchmarking specifications and regulator-approved network expansions that reduce the efficiency score due to properties of the underlying statistical method could be exempted from the benchmarking procedure.

Suggested Citation

  • Waidelich, Paul & Haug, Tomas & Wieshammer, Lorenz, 2022. "German efficiency gone wrong: Unintended incentives arising from the gas TSOs’ benchmarking," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:160:y:2022:i:c:s0301421521004614
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112595
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421521004614
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112595?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. Agrell, Per J. & Niknazar, Pooria, 2014. "Structural and behavioral robustness in applied best-practice regulation," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 89-103.
    2. Haney, Aoife Brophy & Pollitt, Michael G., 2011. "Exploring the determinants of “best practice” benchmarking in electricity network regulation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(12), pages 7739-7746.
    3. Agrell, Per J. & Bogetoft, Peter, 2017. "Regulatory Benchmarking: Models, Analyses and Applications," Data Envelopment Analysis Journal, now publishers, vol. 3(1-2), pages 49-91, November.
    4. Jamasb, Tooraj & Nillesen, Paul & Pollitt, Michael, 2004. "Strategic behaviour under regulatory benchmarking," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(5), pages 825-843, September.
    5. Jamasb, Tooraj & Pollitt, Michael & Triebs, Thomas, 2008. "Productivity and efficiency of US gas transmission companies: A European regulatory perspective," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(9), pages 3398-3412, September.
    6. PER AGRELL & Peter Bogetoft & Jørgen Tind, 2005. "DEA and Dynamic Yardstick Competition in Scandinavian Electricity Distribution," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 173-201, May.
    7. Agrell, Per J. & Teusch, Jonas, 2020. "Predictability and strategic behavior under frontier regulation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    8. Per Andersen & Niels Christian Petersen, 1993. "A Procedure for Ranking Efficient Units in Data Envelopment Analysis," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 39(10), pages 1261-1264, October.
    9. William J. Baumol & Alvin K. Klevorick, 1970. "Input Choices and Rate-of Return Regulation: An Overview of the Discussion," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 1(2), pages 162-190, Autumn.
    10. Agrell, Per J. & Brea-Solís, Humberto, 2017. "Capturing heterogeneity in electricity distribution operations: A critical review of latent class modelling," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 361-372.
    11. Massol, O., 2011. "A cost function for the natural gas transmission industry: further considerations," Working Papers 11/03, Department of Economics, City University London.
    12. Baron, David P & Myerson, Roger B, 1982. "Regulating a Monopolist with Unknown Costs," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(4), pages 911-930, July.
    13. Laffont, Jean-Jacques & Tirole, Jean, 1986. "Using Cost Observation to Regulate Firms," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 94(3), pages 614-641, June.
    14. Olivier Massol, 2011. "A Cost Function for the Natural Gas Transmission Industry: Further Considerations," The Engineering Economist, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(2), pages 95-122.
    15. Friedman, Jerome H. & Hastie, Trevor & Tibshirani, Rob, 2010. "Regularization Paths for Generalized Linear Models via Coordinate Descent," Journal of Statistical Software, Foundation for Open Access Statistics, vol. 33(i01).
    16. Slade, Margaret E. & Kolstad, Charles D. & Weiner, Robert J., 1993. "Buying energy and nonfuel minerals: Final, derived, and speculative demand," Handbook of Natural Resource and Energy Economics, in: A. V. Kneese† & J. L. Sweeney (ed.), Handbook of Natural Resource and Energy Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 20, pages 935-1009, Elsevier.
    17. Hellwig, Michael & Schober, Dominik & Cabral, Luís, 2020. "Low-powered vs high-powered incentives: Evidence from German electricity networks," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    18. Perrotton, Florian & Massol, Olivier, 2020. "Rate-of-return regulation to unlock natural gas pipeline deployment: Insights from a Mozambican project," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    19. Charnes, A. & Cooper, W. W. & Rhodes, E., 1978. "Measuring the efficiency of decision making units," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 2(6), pages 429-444, November.
    20. Kenneth J. Arrow & Anthony C. Fisher, 1974. "Environmental Preservation, Uncertainty, and Irreversibility," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Chennat Gopalakrishnan (ed.), Classic Papers in Natural Resource Economics, chapter 4, pages 76-84, Palgrave Macmillan.
    21. Haney, Aoife Brophy & Pollitt, Michael G., 2013. "International benchmarking of electricity transmission by regulators: A contrast between theory and practice?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 267-281.
    22. Alfred E. Kahn, 1988. "The Economics of Regulation: Principles and Institutions," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262610523, December.
    23. Shuttleworth, Graham, 2005. "Benchmarking of electricity networks: Practical problems with its use for regulation," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 310-317, December.
    24. Paul L. Joskow, 1997. "Restructuring, Competition and Regulatory Reform in the U.S. Electricity Sector," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 11(3), pages 119-138, Summer.
    25. Sweeney, George, 1981. "Adoption of Cost-Saving Innovations by a Regulated Firm," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 71(3), pages 437-447, June.
    26. Andrei Shleifer, 1985. "A Theory of Yardstick Competition," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 16(3), pages 319-327, Autumn.
    27. Avinash K. Dixit & Robert S. Pindyck, 1994. "Investment under Uncertainty," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 5474.
    28. Dan Tong & Qiang Zhang & Yixuan Zheng & Ken Caldeira & Christine Shearer & Chaopeng Hong & Yue Qin & Steven J. Davis, 2019. "Committed emissions from existing energy infrastructure jeopardize 1.5 °C climate target," Nature, Nature, vol. 572(7769), pages 373-377, August.
    29. Hui Zou & Trevor Hastie, 2005. "Addendum: Regularization and variable selection via the elastic net," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series B, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 67(5), pages 768-768, November.
    30. Lowry, Mark Newton & Getachew, Lullit, 2009. "Statistical benchmarking in utility regulation: Role, standards and methods," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 1323-1330, April.
    31. Vogelsang, Ingo, 2002. "Incentive Regulation and Competition in Public Utility Markets: A 20-Year Perspective," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 5-27, July.
    32. Peter Bogetoft & Lars Otto, 2011. "Benchmarking with DEA, SFA, and R," International Series in Operations Research and Management Science, Springer, number 978-1-4419-7961-2, September.
    33. Hui Zou & Trevor Hastie, 2005. "Regularization and variable selection via the elastic net," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series B, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 67(2), pages 301-320, April.
    34. Aigner, Dennis & Lovell, C. A. Knox & Schmidt, Peter, 1977. "Formulation and estimation of stochastic frontier production function models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 6(1), pages 21-37, July.
    35. Gordon, D. V. & Gunsch, K. & Pawluk, C. V., 2003. "A natural monopoly in natural gas transmission," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 473-485, September.
    36. Jamasb, Tooraj & Nillesen, Paul & Pollitt, Michael, 2003. "Gaming the Regulator: A Survey," The Electricity Journal, Elsevier, vol. 16(10), pages 68-80, December.
    37. Rajiv D. Banker, 1993. "Maximum Likelihood, Consistency and Data Envelopment Analysis: A Statistical Foundation," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 39(10), pages 1265-1273, October.
    38. Timo Kuosmanen & Mika Kortelainen, 2012. "Stochastic non-smooth envelopment of data: semi-parametric frontier estimation subject to shape constraints," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 38(1), pages 11-28, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Agrell, Per J. & Brea-Solís, Humberto, 2017. "Capturing heterogeneity in electricity distribution operations: A critical review of latent class modelling," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 361-372.
    2. Agrell, Per J. & Teusch, Jonas, 2020. "Predictability and strategic behavior under frontier regulation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    3. Kuosmanen, Timo & Saastamoinen, Antti & Sipiläinen, Timo, 2013. "What is the best practice for benchmark regulation of electricity distribution? Comparison of DEA, SFA and StoNED methods," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 740-750.
    4. Agrell, Per J. & Niknazar, Pooria, 2014. "Structural and behavioral robustness in applied best-practice regulation," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 89-103.
    5. Schober, Dominik & Weber, Christoph, 2015. "Refinancing under yardstick regulation with investment cycles: The case of long-lived electricity network assets," ZEW Discussion Papers 15-065, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    6. Dominik Schober, 2013. "Refinancing under Yardstick Regulation with Investment Cycles–The Case of Long-Lived Electricity Network Assets," EWL Working Papers 1321, University of Duisburg-Essen, Chair for Management Science and Energy Economics, revised Jun 2013.
    7. Nepal, Rabindra & Jamasb, Tooraj, 2015. "Incentive regulation and utility benchmarking for electricity network security," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 117-127.
    8. Bogetoft, Peter & Eskesen, Anita, 2022. "Balancing information rents and service differentiation in utility regulation," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    9. Neumann, Anne & Nieswand, Maria & Schubert, Torben, 2016. "Estimating Alternative Technology Sets in Nonparametric Efficiency Analysis: Restriction Tests for Panel and Clustered Data," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 45(1), pages 35-51.
    10. Michael Hellwig & Dominik Schober & Luis Cabral, 2018. "Incentive Regulation: Evidence From German Electricity Networks," Working Papers 18-03, New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, Department of Economics.
    11. An, Qingxian & Tao, Xiangyang & Chen, Xiaohong, 2023. "Nested frontier-based best practice regulation under asymmetric information in a principal–agent framework," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 306(1), pages 269-285.
    12. Kuosmanen, Timo, 2012. "Stochastic semi-nonparametric frontier estimation of electricity distribution networks: Application of the StoNED method in the Finnish regulatory model," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(6), pages 2189-2199.
    13. Paul L. Joskow, 2014. "Incentive Regulation in Theory and Practice: Electricity Distribution and Transmission Networks," NBER Chapters, in: Economic Regulation and Its Reform: What Have We Learned?, pages 291-344, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    14. Daraio, Cinzia & Kerstens, Kristiaan & Nepomuceno, Thyago & Sickles, Robin C., 2019. "Empirical Surveys of Frontier Applications: A Meta-Review," Working Papers 19-005, Rice University, Department of Economics.
    15. Hellwig, Michael & Schober, Dominik & Cabral, Luís, 2020. "Low-powered vs high-powered incentives: Evidence from German electricity networks," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    16. Saastamoinen, Antti & Bjørndal, Endre & Bjørndal, Mette, 2017. "Specification of merger gains in the Norwegian electricity distribution industry," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 96-107.
    17. An, Qingxian & Tao, Xiangyang & Xiong, Beibei, 2021. "Benchmarking with data envelopment analysis: An agency perspective," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    18. Armstrong, Mark & Sappington, David E.M., 2007. "Recent Developments in the Theory of Regulation," Handbook of Industrial Organization, in: Mark Armstrong & Robert Porter (ed.), Handbook of Industrial Organization, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 27, pages 1557-1700, Elsevier.
    19. Kuosmanen, Timo & Johnson, Andrew, 2017. "Modeling joint production of multiple outputs in StoNED: Directional distance function approach," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 262(2), pages 792-801.
    20. Ahn, Heinz & Clermont, Marcel & Langner, Julia, 2023. "Comparative performance analysis of frontier-based efficiency measurement methods – A Monte Carlo simulation," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 307(1), pages 294-312.

    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:enepol:v:160:y:2022:i:c:s0301421521004614. 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/enpol .

    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.