• Energy Research

The paper is devoted to the evaluation and comparison of the efficiency of winemaking in Germany and Ukraine in order to find the key factors of efficiency of wine business in these countries. The models of data envelopment analysis (DEA), correlation and other tools of data analysis are used to analyse the efficiency of wineries in two countries. Returns to scale, scale efficiency, super-efficiency and some other indicators are examined. The study is based on the sample including 36 wineries of Germany and Ukraine. The hypothesis about a higher relative efficiency of winemaking in Germany in comparison with Ukrainian winemaking was confirmed analytically. Relatively a high average scale efficiency score indicates a good potential (above 30%) for efficiency growth due to the optimization of a scale of production and sales. Generally, winemaking in Germany and Ukraine has increasing returns to scale. It was found to be the most efficient combination of the size and legal form of business organization for wine business in Germany.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to establish groups of stakeholders who win and lose from changes in natural gas prices and to develop practical recommendations for a state regulator for the optimal setting natural gas prices in the domestic market through an example of Ukraine. Design/methodology/approach – In this study, to identify groups of stakeholders with gains and losses from the pricing of natural gas, the author used traditional methods of correlation and statistical regression analysis, including the ordinary least squares (OLS) method. Findings – The main profit from natural gas remains in the extraction sector. The remaining profit is distributed among the various stakeholders. The consumers during rapidly rising gas prices have to rely on energy efficiency and switching to alternative, less costly resources. The existing system of unified natural gas price for all industrial consumers is inefficient and leads to the losses of the largest industrial sectors in Ukraine – metallurgy and chemical industry. With the help of the developed models, the author determined the critical levels of natural gas prices for these two industries. Research limitations/implications – The study is limited by data about activity of eight key manufacturing companies, four gas distribution companies, and main state gas companies from two country only. Practical implications – Defined levels can be used by a state regulatory authority as a boundary, above which these industries will be unprofitable and their fate along with hundred thousands of workers will be questionable. Originality/value – This is the first paper that set the critical levels of natural gas prices for two manufacturing industries in Ukraine.

The objective of this study is the identification of specific national aspects that influence the alternative motor fuel usage. Empirical and statistical data have been used. For economical estimation of fuels, mathematical and economic modelling was used. World progress of society and the use of power resources trends have been shown. It is determined, that the last years' bioethanol production growth is almost stable. But biodiesel production has been slowing down. Efficiency of biofuels utilisation has been analysed. Biofuels production is most developed in countries which have favourable climate conditions, high developed agriculture, enough agricultural area and government support. General and specific barriers for biofuel usage have been examined. Regions of concentrated alternative fuels use have been revealed. Modern economic factors which influence on a production and applications of alternative fuels have been shown. Basic national features have been revealed.

This report offers some reflections on the decision by the Government of Ukraine to implement a tax on household consumption of natural gas. It is argued that law-abiding taxpayers who earn a mid-level salary are mostly disadvantaged by what is referred to as the gas tax since they are obliged to pay the most and allocate the largest share of their income for utilities. The “gas tax” has significantly increased inflation, reduced domestic consumption, reduced profitability of local businesses, reduced the size of the middle class and increased stratification of society, concealed real income and escaladed a shadow economy and enhanced injustice and an outmigration of labour. There is a legitimate case to reconsider the gas tax on these grounds with a view toward making it fairer and less burdensome for the economy and the country's households.

In consideration of the three pillars of sustainability, alongside the environment, social and economic dimensions interplay valuable insight into how society is molded and what key components should be considered. In terms of social sustainability, there are processes and framework objectives that promote wellbeing integral to the balance of people, planet, and profit. Economic practices consider the system of production, resource allocation, and distribution of goods and services with respect to demand and supply between economic agents. As a result, an economic system is a variant of the social system in which it exists. At present, the forefront of social sustainability research partially encompasses the impact economic practices have on people and society—with notable emphasis centered on the urban environment. Specific interdisciplinary analyses within the scope of sustainability, social development, competitiveness, and motivational management as well as decision making within the urban landscape are considered. This book contains nine thoroughly refereed contributions that interconnect detailed research into the two pillars reviewed.

Purpose – The paper aims to test the hypothesis about increasing the efficiency of gas distribution companies in the period of high gas prices on the example of Ukraine that is highly dependent on this energy source. Design/methodology/approach – The basic and super-efficiency models of data envelopment analysis (DEA), Malmquist total factor productivity index, three-factor production function and other tools are used to analyse the efficiency of gas distribution companies. Some factors are examined for their impact on efficiency. The results are based on the samples of 33 Ukrainian gas distribution companies. Findings – The author detects the decreasing returns to scale in the gas distribution sector, which means that Ukrainian gas companies get advantage reducing the volume of gas supply. Rise in prices for imported gas is reflected positively not only on the income of the exporting Russian supplier Gazprom, but also on the profitability of Ukrainian gas distribution companies. The losses associated with the policy decisions regarding a pricing of imported natural gas moved on the consumers of natural gas – the manufacturing sector of the economy and the population. Reallocation of net profit from the key export sectors of Ukraine in the gas sector is mainly caused by the fault of the state regulatory body. Research limitations/implications – The research is limited by single industry and by relatively short data set. The former is explained by requirement of technology (product, service) homogeneity when using DEA tools. The latter is connected with specificity of the industry and generally little numbers of firms in it. Practical implications – The results of researching contain the data and recommendations to companies' management and a state regulatory body to correct and optimize their decisions to make gas distribution system and economy more effective. These results can be practicable for companies' management, present and potential investors and proprietors, regulative public authority. It is possible to use the results of this research to make study for the other industries. Originality/value – This is the first paper that studies the impact of high natural gas prices on the economy and gas distribution system of Ukraine.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and compare the efficiency of wine making in Germany and Ukraine in order to find the controllable factors of wine business performance using benchmarking tools. Design/methodology/approach The models of data envelopment analysis and other benchmarking tools are used to analyse the efficiency of wineries in two countries. Returns to scale, scale efficiency, super-efficiency and some other indicators are examined. The research is based on the sample of 36 German and Ukrainian wineries. Findings The hypothesis of higher wine making relative efficiency in Germany was compared with Ukrainian wine making, then analytically and statistically verified. A relatively high average scale efficiency score indicates good potential (above 30 per cent) for efficiency growth, due to the optimisation of a scale of production and sales. Generally, wine making in Germany and Ukraine has increasing returns to scale. The high-efficient wine business cannot bring great losses. It was found that the most efficient combinations of size and legal form of business organisation for wine business are presented in Germany. Research limitations/implications The research is limited by a single industry of only the two countries. Practical implications This study provides useful information for researchers, investors and policy makers, enabling them to understand the current state, basic problems, controllable factors and efficiency levels of wine making in Germany and Ukraine. It may be useful to wine producers in these countries for improving their business performance. Originality/value This is the first paper that compares wine business performance and discloses its factors for Germany and Ukraine.

Abstract This paper presents a cross-country benchmarking study of natural gas distribution to final consumers and compares two samples of companies in Italy and Ukraine. A 2-stage DEA procedure calculating efficiency of gas providers and identifying critical context factors and policy issues that affect it is implemented. Both countries are low performing in terms of operators’ technical and scale efficiency and there is room to design more efficient market configurations. Some issues need attention to develop an effective gas market policy: a) search for efficiency requires accurate investigation of its main drivers that depend on context factors; b) while greater efficiency is necessary to reduce cost and increase service quality, at different stages of progress of the reform process other goals may be more important; c) gas industry reform process should be planned adopting a systemic perspective as its development does not remain confined to the sector, but implies changes in the whole country economy, particularly when the gas market is of primary relevance to the economy; d) a more comprehensive package of reforms may be necessary to make gas market reform successful; e) even though the gas market reform is an economic process, it has unavoidably social and political implications.

This essay considers the rural-to-urban transition and correlates it with urban energy demands. Three distinct themes are inspected and interrelated to develop awareness for an urbanizing world: internal urban design and innovation, technical transition, and geopolitical change. Data were collected on the use of energy in cities and, by extension, nation states over the last 30 years. The urban population boom continues to pressure the energy dimension with heavily weighted impacts on less developed regions. Sustainable urban energy will need to reduce resource inputs and environmental impacts and decouple economic growth from energy consumption. Fossil fuels continue to be the preferred method of energy for cities; however, an increased understanding is emerging that sustainable energy forms can be implemented as alternatives. Key to this transition will be the will to invest in renewables (i.e., solar, wind, hydro, tidal, geothermal, and biomass), efficient infrastructure, and smart eco-city designs. This essay elucidates how the technical transition of energy-friendly technologies focuses on understanding the changes in the energy mix from non-renewable to renewable. Smart electricity storage grids with artificial intelligence can operate internationally and alleviate some geopolitical barriers. Energy politics is shown to be a problematic hurdle with case research examples specific to Central and Eastern Europe. The energy re-shift stressed is a philosophical re-thinking of modern cities as well as a new approach to the human-energy relationship.