• Energy Research

This paper analyzes the evolution of productivity of the electricity distribution companies in Peru, to assess whether reforms have improved the efficiency in this sector. The paper also identifies potential sources of productivity changes, based on market restructuring the electricity sector and changes in property. To do this, we rely on a set of data for 14 distribution companies, for the period 1996–2006. Our analysis suggests that improvements in the efficiency and productivity of electricity distribution in Peru have occurred, and that there is a relationship between the restructuring of distribution sector and the enhancement of productivity.

This study analyses the determinants of the technical efficiency performance for Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) power utilities in the period 1998-2009, excluding South Africa’s Eskom. The study formulated an explicit model for technical inefficiency by considering the vertical structure of the utilities and the definition of the product, considering the specific characteristics of this sample. It was found that the most significant improvement in the average efficiency of the sample occurred from 2000 to 2002, coinciding with the first SAPP Energy Plan of 2001. Density in consumption, control of corruption and load factor also contributed to the different levels of efficiency. The results provided a new empirical evidence that can be useful for the design of energy policy and incentive regulation.

In this paper we apply Stochastic Frontier Analysis through a distance function to investigate the impact of firm size on productivity development in electricity distribution. We use a sample of seventeen Brazilian firms from 1998 to 2005 and decompose productivity into technical efficiency, scale efficiency and technical change. Moreover, a further step is to decompose the technical change measurement into several components. The results indicate that firm size is important for industry's productivity, and therefore a key aspect to consider when making decisions that affect the market structure in the electricity distribution industry. 833 826 1,603 2,723 Q1 Q1 SCIE SSCI

This paper estimates changes in the productivity of the Brazilian electricity distribution sector using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) on a panel of 18 firms from 1998 to 2005. The study decomposes the productivity change of these distribution firms in terms of technical efficiency, scale-efficiency and technical progress. This exercise aims to help the understanding of the main determinants of the evolution of productivity, focusing its relationship with the restructuring process implemented in the 1990s. TFP index records a yearly positive growth rate of 1.3% in the whole period under analysis for all firms. Technical change was the main component behind this evolution, with an average growth of 2.1% per year, while technical efficiency presented a yearly negative performance of - 0.8%. The results prove that, in general terms, the incentives generated in the reform process do not seem to have led the firms to behave in a more efficient manner. 305 298 2,333 Q1 SSCI

This paper addresses the question whether energy consumption variables and the disaggregation of output matter in the context of efficiency analysis of container terminals. While it is obvious that the energy consumption of refrigerated cargo is higher than the energy consumption of non-refrigerated cargo, this work investigates whether those differences show in an overall efficiency analysis of terminals. This would point to a potentially important input for efficiency measures, to be considered in future productivity and efficiency analysis of terminals. Starting with a discussion on theoretical concepts and variable selection for measuring the energy dimension of terminal efficiency, this is the first paper that applies data envelopment analysis (DEA) comparing results with and without energy consumption, as well as differentiating productive outputs (dry and reefer container handling). The results reveal how the output disaggregation leads to substantially different efficiency scores and are a first step to show the relevance of output disaggregation and the inclusion of the energy variables as inputs in container terminal efficiency studies. 0,804 3,5 Q1 Q3 SSCI 11,0

The extent to which the structural reform of the Peruvian electricity market in the 1990s has improved the technical efficiency levels of the distribution companies and whether some firm specific explanatory variables had influenced upon the efficiency was analysed for first time using a second stage Tobit model to study the influence of some firm specific explanatory variables on efficiency. Some authors have argued that the use of Tobit regression is inappropriate in the second stage of DEA and have suggested using other recently developed options. Due to this, it might be worth revisiting this issue and adding those other alternative models to check whether the conclusions obtained with the Tobit model could be upheld. The nine alternative models estimated allow us to confirm that the incentives generated by the reform process led to the firms becoming more efficient. Moreover, private management and the ratio of low voltage sales to medium voltage sales for each company positively affect efficiency, whereas investment per customer is negatively correlated to it.

This paper is a first attempt at documenting efficiency levels in Africa's electricity firms, their evolution and the sources of this evolution. The analysis is based on a sample of 12 operators providing services in the 12 country members of the Southern Africa Power Pool. We focus on the changes in total factor productivity (TFP) of the largest operators in each country between 1998 and 2005. We then rely on a data envelopment analysis (DEA) decomposition to identify the sources of the changes in TFP. The results suggest fairly comparable levels of efficiency in the region and performance levels and evolution quite independent of the degree of vertical integration, the presence of a private actor or the main sources of energy supply. The analysis suggest that although the companies have not made significant improvements during the period of analysis in using their capital and human assets, they have done much better in adopting better technologies and better commercial practices. No clear correlation could be associated with the adoption of reforms during the last decade and data limitations impede a more refined assessment of the impact of reforms on efficiency at this stage. 1979 1969 1,755 Q1 SCIE SSCI

Financial assistance for this work was provided by Grant ECO2015-68345-R (MINECO/FEDER) from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) ; and the EU-funded research project Master Plan for OPS in Spanish Ports (Agreement No. INEA/CEF/TRAN/M2015/1128893 ).