Research project CG/DD1/30 (Research action CG)
Context
This research project is being financed by the Federal Office for Scientific, Technical and Cultural Affairs (OSTC). The ‘Study Centre for Technology, Energy and the Environment’ (STEM) at the University of Antwerp (UFSIA) began this project in October 1998 for a period of two years. The project’s promoter, Professor Dr. Aviel Verbruggen, is a participant in Working Group III of the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Working Group III is examining ‘Climate Change Mitigation’.
Description of the project
In order to support this contribution to IPCC, we are focusing our research on barriers and on the possibilities and market potential of energy-saving technologies and working methods. In particular, we are studying two specific barriers: the fact that high energy prices do not necessarily result in lower energy use; and factors that hinder the development of co-generation (total energy).
Prices are important for the development of climate change mitigation policies, because they partially explain how we use (and sometimes misuse) energy and environmental commodities. Prices are effective data relays with regard to the scarcity of certain goods and services in a society. Moreover, pricing is related to most facets of our economy, e.g. the economic system itself, efficiency, equity and use of natural resources. Nevertheless, it is necessary to accurately plot effectiveness, meaning the actual impact of prices on the demand for goods and services. Higher prices do not necessarily lead to reduced energy consumption, for example because the energy savings are used to book a long-haul flight to an exotic location, or for example because people find themselves unable to reduce energy consumption further (consumption within poor families having already reached a minimum level). Moreover, it may be that people leave no time for energy saving because the opportunity cost of free time outweighs the yields from energy saving.
Co-generation barriers form the second part of our contribution to IPCC. Co-generation replaces the separate supply of heat and electricity. Co-generation projects are capable at times of saving significant quantities of energy, depending on the effectiveness and fuel type of the separate alternatives. Unfortunately, a great many barriers limit the implementation of co-generation projects. The most important barrier is probably the payback fee that independent co-generation producers receive from the electricity company.
After a thorough analysis of the barriers, we will formulate proposals for dealing with these.
Expected results
The project consists of four phases:
The first phase involves an intensive literature study. The goal of this phase is to shadow new developments in the pricing and co-generation spheres.
Next, we will analyse pricing and co-generation barriers and formulate solutions for their removal.
Afterwards, we will make our contribution to the IPCC Third Assessment Report .
Finally, we will draw relevant lessons from our analysis for Belgian policy on climate change.
Inventaris en aanpak van belemmeringen voor het klimaatbeleid: eindrapport
Brussel: DWTC, 2001 (SP0988)
[To download]
[Exhausted]
Inventaris en aanpak van belemmeringen voor het klimaatbeleid: samenvatting
Brussel: DWTC, 2001 (SP1009)
[To download]
Inventory and approach to barriers for the climate policy: project summary
Brussels: OSTC, 2001 (SP1010)
[To download]
