IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/enepol/v166y2022ics0301421522002245.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Worth the wait: How South Africa's renewable energy auctions perform compared to Europe's leading countries

Author

Listed:
  • Kitzing, Lena
  • Siddique, Muhammad Bilal
  • Nygaard, Ivan
  • Kruger, Wikus

Abstract

Auctions for renewable energy support allocation are on a triumphant global advance. We compare performance of renewable energy auctions in terms of effectiveness (realisation rate and period) and efficiency (price outcomes) from two world regions: South Africa and European countries (Germany, France, the Netherlands). We develop an assessment framework for compliance incentivisation in auction design, covering qualification criteria, penalties, and compliance monitoring. We find that a 100% realisation rate in South Africa is connected to a strong compliance package, while European countries have moderate realisation rates (23%–87%) with relatively lenient compliance packages. We observe that realisation periods are correlated with project size rather than granted realisation period. Although South African projects generally have longer realisation periods (34 months for PV and 40 months for onshore wind) than European projects (16.5–30 months for PV and 19–25 months for onshore wind), they perform comparably considering that they are 10–13 times larger. Comparing average auction prices with equivalent technology-specific LCOE estimates, we find a general convergence towards the global average, with South Africa having the sharpest price decline (75% PV and 54% onshore wind), albeit starting from the highest level. Our findings, especially on importance of compliance incentivisation and weak impact of granted realisation periods, are valid across world regions and can support policymakers everywhere in designing effective and efficient renewable energy auctions.

Suggested Citation

  • Kitzing, Lena & Siddique, Muhammad Bilal & Nygaard, Ivan & Kruger, Wikus, 2022. "Worth the wait: How South Africa's renewable energy auctions perform compared to Europe's leading countries," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:166:y:2022:i:c:s0301421522002245
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2022.112999
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421522002245
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.enpol.2022.112999?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. Hansen, U.E. & Nygaard, I. & Morris, M. & Robbins, G., 2020. "The effects of local content requirements in auction schemes for renewable energy in developing countries: A literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    2. Lundberg, Liv, 2019. "Auctions for all? Reviewing the German wind power auctions in 2017," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 449-458.
    3. Winkler, Jenny & Magosch, Magdalena & Ragwitz, Mario, 2018. "Effectiveness and efficiency of auctions for supporting renewable electricity – What can we learn from recent experiences?," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 473-489.
    4. Becker, Bastian & Fischer, Doris, 2013. "Promoting renewable electricity generation in emerging economies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 446-455.
    5. Dobrotkova, Zuzana & Surana, Kavita & Audinet, Pierre, 2018. "The price of solar energy: Comparing competitive auctions for utility-scale solar PV in developing countries," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 133-148.
    6. Lucas, Hugo & Fifita, Solomone & Talab, Ilham & Marschel, Cornelia & Cabeza, Luisa F., 2017. "Critical challenges and capacity building needs for renewable energy deployment in Pacific Small Island Developing States (Pacific SIDS)," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 42-52.
    7. Haufe, Marie-Christin & Ehrhart, Karl-Martin, 2018. "Auctions for renewable energy support – Suitability, design, and first lessons learned," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 217-224.
    8. del Río, Pablo & Linares, Pedro, 2014. "Back to the future? Rethinking auctions for renewable electricity support," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 42-56.
    9. Eberhard, Anton & Gratwick, Katharine & Morella, Elvira & Antmann, Pedro, 2017. "Independent Power Projects in Sub-Saharan Africa: Investment trends and policy lessons," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 390-424.
    10. Florian Egli & Bjarne Steffen & Tobias S. Schmidt, 2018. "A dynamic analysis of financing conditions for renewable energy technologies," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 3(12), pages 1084-1092, December.
    11. Bayer, Benjamin & Schäuble, Dominik & Ferrari, Michele, 2018. "International experiences with tender procedures for renewable energy – A comparison of current developments in Brazil, France, Italy and South Africa," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 305-327.
    12. Kylili, Angeliki & Fokaides, Paris A., 2015. "Competitive auction mechanisms for the promotion renewable energy technologies: The case of the 50MW photovoltaics projects in Cyprus," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 226-233.
    13. Rubin, Edward S. & Azevedo, Inês M.L. & Jaramillo, Paulina & Yeh, Sonia, 2015. "A review of learning rates for electricity supply technologies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 198-218.
    14. Anatolitis, Vasilios & Welisch, Marijke, 2017. "Putting renewable energy auctions into action – An agent-based model of onshore wind power auctions in Germany," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 394-402.
    15. Grashof, Katherina & Berkhout, Volker & Cernusko, Robert & Pfennig, Maximilian, 2020. "Long on promises, short on delivery? Insights from the first two years of onshore wind auctions in Germany," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    16. Kruger, Wikus & Nygaard, Ivan & Kitzing, Lena, 2021. "Counteracting market concentration in renewable energy auctions: Lessons learned from South Africa," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 148(PB).
    17. Wikus Kruger & Anton Eberhard, 2018. "Renewable energy auctions in sub‐Saharan Africa: Comparing the South African, Ugandan, and Zambian Programs," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 7(4), July.
    18. Kitzing, Lena & Mitchell, Catherine & Morthorst, Poul Erik, 2012. "Renewable energy policies in Europe: Converging or diverging?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 192-201.
    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. Mac Clay, Pablo & Börner, Jan & Sellare, Jorge, 2023. "Institutional and macroeconomic stability mediate the effect of auctions on renewable energy capacity," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    2. Geßner, Daniel, 2023. "Performance of Renewable Energy Policies - Evidence from Germany's Transition to Auctions," W.E.P. - Würzburg Economic Papers 105, University of Würzburg, Department of Economics.
    3. Kruger, Wikus, 2022. "A quiet transition: The role of Namibia's state-owned power utility in the renewable energy auction program," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    4. Batz Liñeiro, Taimyra & Müsgens, Felix, 2023. "Evaluating the German onshore wind auction programme: An analysis based on individual bids," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 172(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. del Río, Pablo & Kiefer, Christoph P., 2023. "Academic research on renewable electricity auctions: Taking stock and looking forward," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    2. Anatolitis, Vasilios & Azanbayev, Alina & Fleck, Ann-Katrin, 2022. "How to design efficient renewable energy auctions? Empirical insights from Europe," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    3. Kruger, Wikus & Nygaard, Ivan & Kitzing, Lena, 2021. "Counteracting market concentration in renewable energy auctions: Lessons learned from South Africa," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 148(PB).
    4. Münch, Florian Anselm & Marian, Adela, 2022. "The design of technical requirements in public solar auctions: Evidence from India," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    5. Melliger, Marc, 2023. "Quantifying technology skewness in European multi-technology auctions and the effect of design elements and other driving factors," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    6. Mac Clay, Pablo & Börner, Jan & Sellare, Jorge, 2023. "Institutional and macroeconomic stability mediate the effect of auctions on renewable energy capacity," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    7. Matthäus, David, 2020. "Designing effective auctions for renewable energy support," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    8. Batz Liñeiro, Taimyra & Müsgens, Felix, 2021. "Evaluating the German PV auction program: The secrets of individual bids revealed," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    9. Bose, A.S. & Sarkar, S., 2019. "India's e-reverse auctions (2017–2018) for allocating renewable energy capacity: An evaluation," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 762-774.
    10. Sheykhha, Siamak & Borggrefe, Frieder & Madlener, Reinhard, 2022. "Policy implications of spatially differentiated renewable energy promotion: A multi-level scenario analysis of onshore wind auctioning in Germany," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    11. Sirin, Selahattin Murat & Sevindik, Irem, 2021. "An analysis of Turkey's solar PV auction scheme: What can Turkey learn from Brazil and South Africa?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 148(PA).
    12. Batz Liñeiro, Taimyra & Müsgens, Felix, 2023. "Evaluating the German onshore wind auction programme: An analysis based on individual bids," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    13. Daniel del Barrio Alvarez & Masahiro Sugiyama, 2020. "A SWOT Analysis of Utility-Scale Solar in Myanmar," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-17, February.
    14. Đukan, Mak & Kitzing, Lena, 2023. "A bigger bang for the buck: The impact of risk reduction on renewable energy support payments in Europe," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    15. Enikő Kácsor, 2021. "Modelling Bidding Behaviour on German Photovoltaic Auctions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-32, January.
    16. Hastings-Simon, Sara & Leach, Andrew & Shaffer, Blake & Weis, Tim, 2022. "Alberta's Renewable Electricity Program: Design, results, and lessons learned," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    17. Geßner, Daniel, 2023. "Performance of Renewable Energy Policies - Evidence from Germany's Transition to Auctions," W.E.P. - Würzburg Economic Papers 105, University of Würzburg, Department of Economics.
    18. Álvarez, Francisco & del Río, Pablo, 2022. "Is small always beautiful? Analyzing the efficiency effects of size heterogeneity in renewable electricity auctions," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    19. Davi-Arderius, Daniel & Trujillo-Baute, Elisa & del Río, Pablo, 2023. "Grid investment and subsidy tradeoffs in renewable electricity auctions," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    20. Paul Lehmann & Patrik Söderholm, 2018. "Can Technology-Specific Deployment Policies Be Cost-Effective? The Case of Renewable Energy Support Schemes," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 71(2), pages 475-505, October.

    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:166:y:2022:i:c:s0301421522002245. 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.