• Energy Research

Abstract Environmental protection should be a primary factor in the evolution of the dominant transportation energy paradigm. This paper takes a fresh approach to this issue by analysing the relationship between conventional and alternative energy sources in transportation, economic growth and emissions. This is a previously unexplored topic in literature, particularly in the United States of America (US), which is analysed in detail here. The paper makes a further contribution to the field by an analysis, based on Tapio indicator, of decoupling between economic growth and CO2 emissions resulting from both overall energy consumption and energy consumption by the transportation. Empirically, this paper applies an Autoregressive Distributed Lag model by using monthly data from January 2007 to September 2018. A Decoupling Indicator was calculated by using yearly data from 2006 to 2018. Main findings suggest that alternative energy sources have not yet reducing the dependence of the transportation sector on fossil fuels. Additionally, although the use of renewable fuels by transportation reduces CO2 emissions, it also hampers economic growth, while economic growth has a negative effect on emissions. This finding is further supported by the decoupling statuses found. I Improvements in energy efficiency appear to have been effective for environmental protection.

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to review the literature focused on the energy/electricity-growth nexus, highlighting how the focus has shifted from aggregated energy/electricity consumption towards specific energy sources. Moreover, it aims to shed light on the relationships between different energy/electricity sources and economic growth. Empirically, the paper focuses on the analysis of interactions between electricity generation in Spain under both the Special Regime (SR) and the Ordinary Regime (OR), and their relationship with economic activity. Data for Spain is studied for a time span from January 2003 to January 2016. The Toda-Yamamoto causality test is carried out to check for causality relationships. Additionally, both short- and long-run effects are assessed by using the ARDL bounds test approach. Overall, the results reveal high internal consistency when comparing the ARDL results with the causality analysis. The substitution effect was detected between OR and SR. However, the negative effect of the SR on economic activity deserves special attention by energy policymakers. This paper argues that the main challenge of renewable sources for policymakers is their cost-effectiveness.

Abstract This paper seeks to analyse the adoption of Energy Efficiency Measures in non-residential buildings. Based on the concepts of agency theory and absorptive capacity, the propensity of Micro-, Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises in Portugal to adopt energy efficiency in lighting, insulation, and the replacement and operation of heating, was evaluated. To achieve this, an online survey was carried out, and the resultant data was treated using Probit models. The main findings suggest that absorptive capacity factors are a key reason for adopting more efficient and profitable technologies. Policymakers should provide assistance and information to the managers of these enterprises regarding the benefits of energy efficiency measures. Additionally, this paper shows that subsidiary enterprises are more likely to adopt energy efficiency measures. Although subsidiaries suffer pressures due to agency theory factors, they may also benefit from knowledge transfers from their parent enterprises. Most of the decisions and barriers considered by enterprises are not based on audits or the advice of energy management professionals, since more than 65% of the respondents have never performed an energy audit, and over 82% do not have an energy manager.

The transition towards a low-carbon transport sector (TS) plays a fundamental role on the decarbonisation of economies. The effects of both conventional (fossil fuels) and alternative (renewable fuels and electricity) energy consumption in the transport sector, economic growth, and carbon dioxide emissions were analysed by using a panel vector autoregressive of 21 high-income Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries from 1990 to 2014. The results support the feedback hypothesis between both conventional and alternative TS energy sources and economic growth. In other words, electricity use on TS has enlarged the economic growth, while consumption of renewable fuels is actually hampering it. Additionally, TS fossil fuels consumption is contributing to economic growth. With reference to the environmental impacts of TS energy use, this paper highlights the harmful effect of conventional energy sources on the environment. However, there is no evidence wherein TS alternative energy sources are directly linked with a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. Accordingly, the promotion of alternative TS energy sources should deserve further attention. On the one hand, there is evidence that the use of renewable fuels is obstructing economic growth. On the other hand, the use of both TS electricity and renewable fuels is not reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Abstract The analysis of the drivers of both peak electricity demand and renewable electricity generation constitutes the main objective of this paper. Data from 2010 to 2016 for a panel of 20 European Union countries were used. Two models were estimated using both Panel-Corrected Standard Errors and Driscoll-Kraay estimators with fixed effects. These estimators were robust in the presence of cross-section dependence, first-order serial correlation and heteroscedasticity. The main results suggest that renewable electricity generation and the penetration of battery electric vehicles into the automotive market are helping to decrease peak electricity demand. At the same time, it was confirmed that employment in this industry sector is increasing peak electricity demand. The existence of peak periods was shown to be the main barrier to the integration of renewables into electricity systems. It seems that policies focused on Demand Side Management have been effective in integrating renewables in contrast to their lack of success in reducing peak electricity demand.

Abstract This paper aims to analyse the factors supporting the transition to new forms of mobility, namely Electric Vehicles (EV). For a deep understanding of these effects, we analysed EV, by dividing them into individual Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), which are 100% electric, and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV). The factors examined include: policy, social, economic, environmental, and technical. This paper uses data from 2010 to 2016 for a panel of the 24 EU countries. A Panel-Corrected Standard Errors (PCSE) estimator is used. When comparing the results of analysing BEV and PHEV individually, and all EV together, they prove to be quite different. This finding indicates that policies should be tailored to each individual technology, rather than a single one for all EV. The proxy used for technological progress is the increased use of both BEV and PHEV. The evidence is also provided that charging stations are drivers of electric mobility.

Abstract The transportation sector represents an important barrier to decarbonising economies. The introduction of electric vehicles seems to be a promising solution; however, the intensive use of such vehicles remains a challenge for economies. By using the two-stage Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method, this paper aims to provide useful insights to enlarge Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) market share. In the first stage, it calculates the efficiency scores for 20 European countries for both BEV adoption and policies supporting electric mobility, considering an output-oriented DEA method with constant returns to scale, and using annual data from 2010 to 2018. It is a non-parametric method, which makes it possible to determine the technical efficiency of the countries under study, i.e., the ability of these countries to transform their inputs into outputs. It calculates the efficiency frontier and determines if the countries are (or not) on this frontier. In the second stage, it examines the role of some determinants of electric mobility using the efficiency scores previously calculated by applying a fractional regression model. The main findings show that few countries are performing on the efficiency frontier. Additionally, renewable electricity generation increases a countries’ DEA score and contributes to bringing the inefficient countries closer to the efficiency frontier. Contrary, the existence of peak periods of electricity consumption decreases the DEA score and moves the inefficient countries further away from the frontier. This paper highlights the need to design transport and electricity policies jointly in order to ensure that the intensive use of BEV contributes towards renewables accommodation.