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The Effect of Uncertainty on Pollution Abatement Investments: Measuring Hurdle Rates for Swedish Industry

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  • Katrin Millock

    (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

  • Céline Nauges

    (LERNA - Economie des Ressources Naturelles - UT Capitole - Université Toulouse Capitole - UT - Université de Toulouse - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - CEA - Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives)

Abstract

We estimate hurdle rates for firms' investments in pollution abatement technology, using ex post data. The method is based on a structural option value model where the future price of polluting fuel is the major source of uncertainty facing the firm. The empirical procedure is illustrated using a panel of firms from the Swedish pulp and paper industry, and the energy and heating sector, and their sulfur dioxide emissions over the period 2000-2003. The results indicate that hurdle rates of investment vary from 2.7 to 3.1 in the pulp and paper industry, and from 3.4 to 3.6 in the energy and heating sector depending on econometric specification.

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  • Katrin Millock & Céline Nauges, 2008. "The Effect of Uncertainty on Pollution Abatement Investments: Measuring Hurdle Rates for Swedish Industry," Post-Print halshs-00343702, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-00343702
    DOI: 10.1016/j.reseneeco.2008.09.002
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    Keywords

    option value; oil price uncertainty; abatement investment; sulfur emissions; pulp and paper industry; energy and heating sector;
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