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Environmental Policy and Renewable Energy in an Imperfectly Competitive Market

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  • Alexander Haupt

Abstract

This paper analyses an electricity market in which a monopolist that employs fossil-fuel base-load and peak-load technologies competes against a fringe of renewable energy (RE) generators. The optimal technology and electricity mix can be decentralised by levying technology-dependent capacity taxes/subsidies in addition to technology-/state-dependent emission taxes. Whenever base-load capacity is taxed (subsidised), peak-load capacity is subsidised (taxed). A decline in RE capacity costs and an increase in the share of consumers on real-time prices predominantly raises emission taxes and brings them closer to their Pigouvian level, albeit with some qualifications. Capacity taxes/subsidies disappear when all consumers are on real-time prices and RE is about to fully crowd out conventional base-load capacity.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexander Haupt, 2023. "Environmental Policy and Renewable Energy in an Imperfectly Competitive Market," CESifo Working Paper Series 10524, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_10524
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    intermittent renewable energy; peak-load technology; base-load technology; emission tax; capacity tax/subsidy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q42 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Alternative Energy Sources
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets

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