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Investment in Energy Infrastructure and the Tax Code

Author

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  • Gilbert E. Metcalf

Abstract

Federal tax policy provides a broad array of incentives for energy investment. I review those policies and construct estimates of marginal effective tax rates for different energy capital investments as of 2007. Effective tax rates vary widely across investment classes. I then consider investment in wind generation capital and regress investment against a user cost of capital measure along with other controls. I find that wind investment is strongly responsive to changes in tax policy. Based on the coefficient estimates the elasticity of investment with respect to the user cost of capital is in the range of -1 to -2. I also demonstrate that the federal production tax credit plays a key role in driving wind investment over the past eighteen years.

Suggested Citation

  • Gilbert E. Metcalf, 2009. "Investment in Energy Infrastructure and the Tax Code," Working Papers 0920, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:mee:wpaper:0920
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    File URL: http://tisiphone.mit.edu/RePEc/mee/wpaper/2009-020.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Laurence Kotlikoff & Felix Kubler & Andrey Polbin & Jeffrey Sachs & Simon Scheidegger, 2021. "Making Carbon Taxation A Generational Win Win," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 62(1), pages 3-46, February.
    2. Yue, Tong & Tong, Jian & Guo, Yan & Zhang, Cong, 2025. "Short-term relief and green transformation: Evidence from the unintended environmental governance effects of China’s VAT credit refund policy," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 1725-1747.
    3. Haggerty, Julia H. & Haggerty, Mark & Rasker, Ray, 2014. "Uneven Local Benefits of Renewable Energy in the U.S. West: Property Tax Policy Effects," Western Economics Forum, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 13(01), pages 1-16.
    4. Kinga B. Tchorzewska, 2024. "A Lost Opportunity? Environmental Investment Tax Incentive and Energy Efficient Technologies," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 87(12), pages 3301-3333, December.
    5. Yuwen Xu & Jingjing Li & Jianling Jiao & Kathryn Cormican, 2025. "Impacts of local governments' wind power policy and preferences on wind power development: an empirical analysis of China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(2), pages 4285-4317, February.
    6. Evan M. Herrnstadt & Ryan Kellogg & Eric Lewis, 2020. "The Economics of Time-Limited Development Options: The Case of Oil and Gas Leases," NBER Working Papers 27165, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Qiuyun Zhao & Zeyu Li & Zuoxiang Zhao & Jinqiu Ma, 2019. "Industrial Policy and Innovation Capability of Strategic Emerging Industries: Empirical Evidence from Chinese New Energy Vehicle Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-17, May.
    8. Jie Mao & Chunhua Wang, 2016. "Tax incentives and environmental protection: Evidence from China’s taxpayer-level data," China Finance and Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 5(4), pages 3-32, December.
    9. Weber, Jeremy G. & Wang, Yongsheng & Chomas, Maxwell, 2016. "A quantitative description of state-level taxation of oil and gas production in the continental U.S," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 289-301.
    10. Kee, Hiau Looi & Taglioni, Daria & Xie, Enze, 2025. "Green Product Exports, Domestic Value Added and Trade Policies : Firm-Level Evidence from China," Policy Research Working Paper Series 11240, The World Bank.
    11. Sun, Chuanwang & Zhan, Yanhong & Du, Gang, 2020. "Can value-added tax incentives of new energy industry increase firm's profitability? Evidence from financial data of China's listed companies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    12. Evan Herrnstadt & Ryan Kellogg & Eric Lewis, 2024. "Drilling Deadlines and Oil and Gas Development," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 92(1), pages 29-60, January.
    13. Aldy, Joseph E. & Burtraw, Dallas & Fischer, Carolyn & Fowlie, Meredith & Williams, Roberton C. & Cropper, Maureen L., 2022. "How is the U.S. Pricing Carbon? How Could We Price Carbon?," Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(3), pages 310-334, October.
    14. Zhishuang Zhu & Hua Liao, 2019. "Do subsidies improve the financial performance of renewable energy companies? Evidence from China," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 95(1), pages 241-256, January.
    15. Wu, Zhanchi & Fan, Xiangjun & Zhu, Bangzhu & Xia, Jiahui & Zhang, Lin & Wang, Ping, 2022. "Do government subsidies improve innovation investment for new energy firms: A quasi-natural experiment of China's listed companies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    16. Qian Cai & Zheng Ji & Fuxun Ma & Han Liang, 2023. "The Green Effects of Industrial Policy—Evidence from China’s New Energy Vehicle Subsidies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-16, September.
    17. Banerjee, Rajabrata & Mishra, Vinod & Maruta, Admasu Asfaw, 2021. "Energy poverty, health and education outcomes: Evidence from the developing world," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    18. Laurence J. Kotlikoff & Andrey Polbin & Andrey Zubarev, 2016. "Will the Paris Accord Accelerate Climate Change?," NBER Working Papers 22731, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    19. Joseph E. Aldy & Todd D. Gerarden & Richard L. Sweeney, 2023. "Investment versus Output Subsidies: Implications of Alternative Incentives for Wind Energy," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 10(4), pages 981-1018.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H2 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • Q4 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy

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