The Experts below are selected from a list of 3228 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Ryan Wiser - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Costs and Benefits of Renewables Portfolio Standards in the United States
Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2015Co-Authors: Galen Barbose, Lori Bird, Jenny Heeter, Francisco Flores-espino, Ryan WiserAbstract:Most state Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) policies in the United States have five or more years of implementation experience. Understanding the costs and benefits of these policies is essential for RPS administrators tasked with implementation and for policymakers evaluating changes to existing or development of new RPS policies. This study estimates and summarizes historical RPS costs and benefits, and provides a critical examination of cost and benefit estimation methods used by utilities and regulators. We find that RPS compliance costs constituted less than 2% of average retail rates in most U.S. states over the 2010–2013 period, although substantial variation exists, both from year-to-year and across states. Compared to RPS costs, relatively few states have undertaken detailed estimates of broader societal benefits of RPS programs, and then only for a subset of potential impacts, typically some combination of avoided emissions and human health benefits, economic development impacts, and wholesale electricity market price reductions. Although direct comparison to RPS cost estimates is not possible, the available studies of broader RPS benefits suggest that in many cases these impacts may at least be of the same order of magnitude as costs, highlighting a need for more refined analysis.
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Does It Have To Be This Hard? Implementing the Nation's Most Complex Renewables Portfolio Standard
The Electricity Journal, 2005Co-Authors: Ryan Wiser, Kevin Porter, Mark Bolinger, Heather RaittAbstract:Results from stakeholder interviews in California suggest a number of policy prescriptions – some of which have since been adopted – to ease the implementation of the nation's most aggressive, and most complex, Renewables Portfolio Standard.
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Evaluating Experience with Renewables Portfolio Standards in the United States
Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 2005Co-Authors: Ryan Wiser, Kevin Porter, Robert GraceAbstract:Increased use of renewable energy is one of several promising methods for reducing emissions of local, regional, and global air pollutants, including greenhouse gas emissions associated with fossil-fuel based electricity production. Among the available options for encouraging renewable electricity generation, the Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) has become especially popular in recent years. The RPS is a newly established policy mechanism, however, and experience with its use has not been widely documented and evaluated. This paper describes and evaluates the design, impacts, and early experience of 13 U.S. state RPS policies. These 13 policies share a common goal of encouraging renewable energy supply, but each specific RPS is designed differently. Our evaluation shows both successes and failures with this policy mechanism; some state RPS policies are positively impacting renewable energy development, while others have been poorly designed and will do little to advance renewable energy markets.We emphasize the importance of policy design details, and specifically highlight critical design pitfalls that have been commonly experienced. Though experience with the RPS is still limited, we have now gained some knowledge of the conditions and design features necessary to make an RPS policy work. An important objective of this article is therefore to identify and describe broad policy design principles and specific best practice design elements that might be used to guide the design of future Renewables Portfolio Standards.
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The Renewables Portfolio Standard in Texas: an early assessment
Energy Policy, 2003Co-Authors: Ole Langniss, Ryan WiserAbstract:Texas has rapidly emerged as one of the leading wind power markets in the United States. This development can be largely traced to a well-designed and carefully implemented Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS). The RPS is a new policy mechanism that has received increasing attention as an attractive approach to support renewable power generation. Though replacing existing renewable energy policies with an as-of-yet untested approach in the RPS is risky, early experience from Texas suggests that an RPS can effectively spur Renewables development and encourage competition among renewable energy producers. Initial RPS targets in Texas were well exceeded by the end of 2001, with 915 MW of wind installed in that year alone. RPS compliance costs appear negligible with new wind projects reportedly contracted for well under 3(US)cent/k/Wh, in part as a result of a 1.7(US)cent/kWh production tax credit, an outstanding wind resource and an RPS that is sizable enough to drive project economies of scale. Obliged retail suppliers have been willing to enter into long-term contracts with renewable generators, reducing important risks for both the developer and the retail supplier. Finally, the country's first comprehensive renewable energy certificate program has been put into place to monitor and track RPS compliance. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. (Less)
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using contingent valuation to explore willingness to pay for renewable energy a comparison of collective and voluntary payment vehicles
Other Information: PBD: 28 Jul 2002, 2002Co-Authors: Ryan WiserAbstract:Some of the most basic questions about the organization and functioning of society involve issues raised by the existence of public goods. With respect to environmental public goods, how should funds used to support environmental improvement be collected and used? In particular, are collective, mandatory payments superior to voluntary, charitable payments due to the possibility of free riding? And to what degree should the government be involved in spending these funds: should the government directly fund environmental improvement projects or should the private sector be used to collect funds and determine funding priorities? This report explores these questions from the perspective of renewable energy: wind, geothermal, biomass, hydropower, and solar. In particular, this report analyzes the payment preferences of U.S. households through the implementation of a large-scale contingent valuation (CV) survey of willingness to pay (WTP) for renewable energy. Renewable energy can be supported through a mandatory ''tax'' on electric bills or through voluntary payments via green power marketing; the government may or may not be heavily involved in the collection and expenditure of such funds. The question of how households prefer to pay for renewable energy is therefore highly relevant. The primary objective of this study is to explore variations in stated WTP for renewable energy under the following four payment and provision contexts: (1) A mandatory increase in the electricity bills of all customers, the funds from which are collected and spent by the government on renewable energy projects. (2) A voluntary increase in the electricity bills of those customers who choose to pay, the funds from which are collected and spent by the government on renewable energy projects. (3) A voluntary increase in the electricity bills of those customers who choose to pay, the funds from which are collected and spent by electricity suppliers on renewable energy projects. (4) A mandatory increase in the electricity bills of all customers, the funds from which are collected and spent by electricity suppliers on renewable energy projects. These payment and provision scenarios are consistent with contemporary forms of support for renewable energy. The first scenario--mandatory payments and government provision--is consistent with a system-benefits charge policy, a policy that has been adopted in 15 U.S. states. The third scenario--voluntary payments to an electricity supplier--is consistent with competitive green power marketing. The fourth scenario--mandatory payments through electricity suppliers--is consistent with a Renewables Portfolio Standard, a policy adopted in thirteen U.S. states as of mid 2003. The second scenario--voluntary payments and government provision--has only been used in a limited fashion in the United States. In addition to having contemporary policy relevance, these four contingent valuation scenarios allow one to distinguish differences in stated WTP based on: (1) the payment method--is WTP affected by whether payments are to be made collectively or voluntarily? and (2) the provision arrangement--does the manner in which a good is provided, in this case through the government or the private sector, affect stated WTP? A split-sample, dichotomous choice contingent valuation survey of 1,574 U.S. residents was developed and implemented to test the sensitivity of stated WTP to these variables at three different payment levels, or bid points. Three secondary objectives also influenced research design, and are discussed in this report. First, this study indirectly and tentatively evaluates the importance of ''participation expectations'' in contingent valuation surveys: specifically, are individuals who state a WTP for renewable energy more likely to think that others will also contribute? Such relationships are commonly discussed in the sociology, social psychology, and marketing literatures, and are also frequently referenced in the collective action literature, but have yet to be tested thoroughly in a contingent valuation context. Second, this report assesses the effects of socioeconomic, demographic, and attitudinal variables on willingness to pay for renewable energy through regression analysis. This analysis helps test the construct validity of the contingent valuation method, and informs our understanding of who is and is not willing to pay for renewable energy under different payment and provision contexts. Finally, through the implementation of a concurrent opinion survey with 202 respondents, this study compares the results of the CV surveys to a more direct approach of eliciting individuals' payment preferences. Responses to the opinion survey also allow a deeper exploration of other issues related to payment preferences.
D M Ren - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Renewables Portfolio Standard and regional energy structure optimisation in china
Energy Policy, 2005Co-Authors: Jie Fan, Wei Sun, D M RenAbstract:Abstract Eastern Coastal areas of China have been developing rapidly since the implementation of reforms and the opening of China's economic markets in 1978. As in most areas of the world, this rapid economic growth has been accompanied by large increases in energy consumption. China's coal-dominated energy structure has resulted in serious ecological and environmental problems. Exploiting renewable energy resources and introducing Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) are some of the most important approaches towards optimising and sustaining the energy structure of China. This paper discusses international experiences in the implementation of RPS policies and prospects for using these policies to encourage renewable energy development in China, establishes a concise definition of renewable resources, differentiating between the broad definition (which includes hydro over 25 MW in size) from the narrow definition (which limits the eligibility of hydro to below 25 MW in size), and quantitatively analyses the potential renewable energy target. The research shows that: (1) Under the narrow hydro definition the renewable energy target would be 5.1% and under the broad hydro definition it would be 18.4%. (2) Western China has contributed 90.2% of the total renewable electricity generation in the country (if big and medium hydropowers are not included). Including big and medium hydropower, the figure is 63.8%. (3) Eastern electricity companies can achieve their quota by buying Tradable Renewable Energy Certificates (TRCs or Green Certificates) and by exploiting renewable energy resources in Western China. The successful implementation of the RPS policy will achieve the goal of sharing the benefits and responsibilities of energy production between the different regions of China.
Jie Fan - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Renewables Portfolio Standard and regional energy structure optimisation in china
Energy Policy, 2005Co-Authors: Jie Fan, Wei Sun, D M RenAbstract:Abstract Eastern Coastal areas of China have been developing rapidly since the implementation of reforms and the opening of China's economic markets in 1978. As in most areas of the world, this rapid economic growth has been accompanied by large increases in energy consumption. China's coal-dominated energy structure has resulted in serious ecological and environmental problems. Exploiting renewable energy resources and introducing Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) are some of the most important approaches towards optimising and sustaining the energy structure of China. This paper discusses international experiences in the implementation of RPS policies and prospects for using these policies to encourage renewable energy development in China, establishes a concise definition of renewable resources, differentiating between the broad definition (which includes hydro over 25 MW in size) from the narrow definition (which limits the eligibility of hydro to below 25 MW in size), and quantitatively analyses the potential renewable energy target. The research shows that: (1) Under the narrow hydro definition the renewable energy target would be 5.1% and under the broad hydro definition it would be 18.4%. (2) Western China has contributed 90.2% of the total renewable electricity generation in the country (if big and medium hydropowers are not included). Including big and medium hydropower, the figure is 63.8%. (3) Eastern electricity companies can achieve their quota by buying Tradable Renewable Energy Certificates (TRCs or Green Certificates) and by exploiting renewable energy resources in Western China. The successful implementation of the RPS policy will achieve the goal of sharing the benefits and responsibilities of energy production between the different regions of China.
Wei Sun - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Renewables Portfolio Standard and regional energy structure optimisation in china
Energy Policy, 2005Co-Authors: Jie Fan, Wei Sun, D M RenAbstract:Abstract Eastern Coastal areas of China have been developing rapidly since the implementation of reforms and the opening of China's economic markets in 1978. As in most areas of the world, this rapid economic growth has been accompanied by large increases in energy consumption. China's coal-dominated energy structure has resulted in serious ecological and environmental problems. Exploiting renewable energy resources and introducing Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) are some of the most important approaches towards optimising and sustaining the energy structure of China. This paper discusses international experiences in the implementation of RPS policies and prospects for using these policies to encourage renewable energy development in China, establishes a concise definition of renewable resources, differentiating between the broad definition (which includes hydro over 25 MW in size) from the narrow definition (which limits the eligibility of hydro to below 25 MW in size), and quantitatively analyses the potential renewable energy target. The research shows that: (1) Under the narrow hydro definition the renewable energy target would be 5.1% and under the broad hydro definition it would be 18.4%. (2) Western China has contributed 90.2% of the total renewable electricity generation in the country (if big and medium hydropowers are not included). Including big and medium hydropower, the figure is 63.8%. (3) Eastern electricity companies can achieve their quota by buying Tradable Renewable Energy Certificates (TRCs or Green Certificates) and by exploiting renewable energy resources in Western China. The successful implementation of the RPS policy will achieve the goal of sharing the benefits and responsibilities of energy production between the different regions of China.
Nancy Rader - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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The Hazards of Implementing Renewables Portfolio Standards
Energy & Environment, 2000Co-Authors: Nancy RaderAbstract:At the turn of the millennium, common themes on government policy agendas include electricity industry liberalisation and climate change mitigation. The “Renewables Portfolio Standard” (RPS), a policy concept also known as a “tradable green certificate obligation,” is likewise frequently discussed because it aims to use markets to promote carbonless renewable energy in the electric sector. In this article, experience in RPS implementation in several U.S. states is reviewed. As of April 2000, seven U.S. states – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, Texas, and Wisconsin – had adopted RPS laws within the past three years. A closer look reveals, however, that six of these state RPSs are missing one or more of the elements of the original concept that are thought necessary to create competitive Renewables markets that will support new projects. Indeed, without Texas, it would be easy to write off the RPS as an ineffective policy. That Texas is now by far the largest U.S. market for renewable energy is evidence that the RPS concept can live up to its potential to advance renewable resources at least cost. Though most of these state laws are formally or informally referred to as “Renewables Portfolio Standards,” they differ in important respects from the policy that was originally put forth by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) in 1995. (See Table 1: RPS Essentials). Likewise, in Europe, the RPS and its various synonyms are being bantered about without any commonly accepted definition. But the details are critical, as the uncertain – and in some cases useless – results in six U.S. states make clear: Maine’s law holds no hope of supporting new Renewables development of any kind, and will do little to support currently operating projects.
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The Hazards of Implementing Renewables Portfolio Standards
Energy & Environment, 2000Co-Authors: Nancy RaderAbstract:At the turn of the millennium, common themes on government policy agendas include electricity industry liberalisation and climate change mitigation. The “Renewables Portfolio Standard” (RPS), a policy concept also known as a “tradable green certificate obligation,” is likewise frequently discussed because it aims to use markets to promote carbonless renewable energy in the electric sector. In this article, experience in RPS implementation in several U.S. states is reviewed. As of April 2000, seven U.S. states – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, Texas, and Wisconsin – had adopted RPS laws within the past three years. A closer look reveals, however, that six of these state RPSs are missing one or more of the elements of the original concept that are thought necessary to create competitive Renewables markets that will support new projects. Indeed, without Texas, it would be easy to write off the RPS as an ineffective policy. That Texas is now by far the largest U.S. market for renewable energy is evidence that the RPS concept can live up to its potential to advance renewable resources at least cost. Though most of these state laws are formally or informally referred to as “Renewables Portfolio Standards,” they differ in important respects from the policy that was originally put forth by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) in 1995. (See Table 1: RPS Essentials). Likewise, in Europe, the RPS and its various synonyms are being bantered about without any commonly accepted definition. But the details are critical, as the uncertain – and in some cases useless – results in six U.S. states make clear: Maine’s law holds no hope of supporting new Renewables development of any kind, and will do little to support currently operating projects.
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efficiency and sustainability in restructured electricity markets the Renewables Portfolio Standard
The Electricity Journal, 1996Co-Authors: Nancy Rader, Richard B NorgaardAbstract:Abstract The debate over social and environmental policy in restructured electricity markets has suffered from unclear policy objectives and incorrect economic reasoning. The common misconception that efficiency must be sacrificed for other objectives to be attained is wrong. The correct use of economics can fashion policies to structure the market so that social goals of reliability, environmental quality and equity are attained most efficiently.