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Assessing the Economic and Environmental Impacts of Alternative Renewable Portfolio Standards: Winners and Losers

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  • Jamal Mamkhezri

    (Department of Economics, Applied Statistics & International Business, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA)

  • Leonard A. Malczynski

    (Anderson School of Management, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA)

  • Janie M. Chermak

    (Department of Economics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA)

Abstract

State-mandated renewable portfolio standards affect substantial portions of the total U.S. electricity supply. Renewable portfolio standards are environmentally motivated policies, yet they have the potential to greatly impact economy. There is not an agreement in the literature on the impact of renewable portfolio standards policies on regional economies, especially on job creation. By integrating various methodologies including econometrics, geographic information system, and input–output analysis into a unique system dynamics model, this paper estimates the economic and environmental impacts of various renewable portfolio standards scenarios in the state of New Mexico, located in Southwestern U.S. The state is endowed with traditional fossil fuel resources and substantial renewable energy potential. In this work we estimated and compared the economic and environmental tradeoffs at the county level under three renewable portfolio standards: New Mexico’s original standard of 20% renewables, the recently adopted 100% renewables standard, and a reduced renewable standard of 10%. The final one would be a return to a more traditional generation profile. We found that while the 20% standard has the highest market-based economic impact on the state as a whole, it is not significantly different from other scenarios. However, when environmental impacts are included, the 100% standard yields the highest value. In addition, while the state level economic impacts across the three scenarios are not significantly different, the county-level impacts are substantial. This is especially important for a state like New Mexico, which has a high reliance on energy for economic development. A higher renewable portfolio standard appears to be an economic tool to stimulate targeted areas’ economic growth. These results have policy implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Jamal Mamkhezri & Leonard A. Malczynski & Janie M. Chermak, 2021. "Assessing the Economic and Environmental Impacts of Alternative Renewable Portfolio Standards: Winners and Losers," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-23, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:11:p:3319-:d:569471
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Jamal Mamkhezri & Gregory L. Torell, 2022. "Assessing the Impact of Exceptional Drought on Emissions and Electricity Generation: The Case of Texas," The Energy Journal, , vol. 43(4), pages 159-178, May.
    3. Yang Tang & Yifeng Liu & Weiqiang Huo & Meng Chen & Shilong Ye & Lei Cheng, 2023. "Optimal Allocation Scheme of Renewable Energy Consumption Responsibility Weight under Renewable Portfolio Standards: An Integrated Evolutionary Game and Stochastic Optimization Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-22, March.
    4. Hui Dai & Jamal Mamkhezri & Noman Arshed & Anam Javaid & Sultan Salem & Yousaf Ali Khan, 2022. "Role of Energy Mix in Determining Climate Change Vulnerability in G7 Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-15, February.
    5. Shangjia Wang & Wenhui Zhao & Shuwen Fan & Lei Xue & Zijuan Huang & Zhigang Liu, 2022. "Is the Renewable Portfolio Standard in China Effective? Research on RPS Allocation Efficiency in Chinese Provinces Based on the Zero-Sum DEA Model," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-18, May.
    6. Minglin Wang & Shaolong Zeng & Yunzhe Wang & Zhengxia He, 2022. "Does Clean Energy Use Have Threshold Effects on Economic Development? A Case of Theoretical and Empirical Analyses from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-18, August.
    7. Mohsen Khezri & Mohammad Sharif Karimi & Jamal Mamkhezri & Reza Ghazal & Larry Blank, 2022. "Assessing the Impact of Selected Determinants on Renewable Energy Sources in the Electricity Mix: The Case of ASEAN Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-15, June.
    8. Zeng, Lijun & Du, Wenjing & Zhao, Laijun & Zhan, Yanhong, 2023. "An inter-provincial transfer fee model under renewable portfolio standard policy," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    9. Yang Yang & Libo Lan & Zhuo Hao & Jianyou Zhao & Geng Luo & Pei Fu & Yisong Chen, 2022. "Life Cycle Prediction Assessment of Battery Electrical Vehicles with Special Focus on Different Lithium-Ion Power Batteries in China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-23, July.

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