The Effectiveness Of Policy Instruments For Energy-efficiency Improvement In Firms: The Dutch Experience (eco-efficiency In Industry And Science)

Improvement of energy efficiency is one of the important options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, hundreds of technologies for improving the end-use energy efficiency make up more than half of the global potential for greenhouse gas emission reduction in the short and medium term (2010 -2020). (IPCC, 2001; see also WEA, 2000). An important next question is how these options can actually be deployed. More specifically, one may ask what role governments can play by using policy instruments to promote the deployment of energy efficient technologies. In this introductory Chapter, we will first set out the aim of the research described in this book. Then we will discuss the various policy instruments that may playa role in energy-efficiency improvement. Next the various aspects important for characterising policy instruments will be discussed and the various disciplinary approaches are listed. Finally, the outline of the complete book will be given. "The Netherlands and some neighboring countries in Europe have implemented a variety of policy instruments since 1990. These include investment subsidies, voluntary agreements on energy-efficiency, direct regulation and taxes. How effective are these measures?" "This book presents theoretical insight in the investment behaviour of firms, and moreover it provides a wealth of empirical results on the effectiveness of policy instruments. It discusses issues such as free rider effects of subsidies, the credibility of voluntary agreements, the art of regulation and the fate of R&D money. It tells stories of success but also stories of failure." "For everyone active in energy and climate policy, this volume is source of knowledge." "The book is written by a multidisciplinary team with backgrounds in economics, environmental sciences and innovation theory, led by an acknowledged expert on technology and policy."--BOOK JACKET Front Matter....Pages i-xi Introduction....Pages 1-7 A Framework for Analysing the Adoption of Energy-Efficient Technologies....Pages 9-29 Subsidising the Adoption of Energy-Efficient Technologies: An Empirical Analysis of the Free-Rider Effect....Pages 31-49 Energy-Efficiency Standards....Pages 51-70 Negotiated Agreements....Pages 71-95 Government Intervention Strategies in Stimulating the R&D of Energy-Efficient Technologies....Pages 97-126 Instrument Choice and Energy-Efficiency Improvement by Firms: An Empirical Analysis....Pages 127-150 Policy Instruments for Technology Adoption: A Model for Analysing the Diffusion of Energy-Efficient Technologies....Pages 151-167 Conclusions....Pages 169-178 Back Matter....Pages 179-197 The Netherlands and some neighbouring countries in Europe have implemented a variety of policy instruments since 1990. These include investment subsidies, voluntary agreements on energy-efficiency, direct regulation and taxes. How effective are these measures? This book presents improved theoretical insight in the investment behaviour of firms, and moreover it provides a wealth of empirical results on the effectiveness of policy instruments. It discusses issues such as free-rider effects of subsidies, the credibility of voluntary agreements, the art of regulation and the fate of RandD money. It tells stories of success, but also stories of failure. From the contents: 1. Introduction 2. A Framework for Analysing the Adoption of Energy-Efficient Technologies 3. Subsidising the Adoption of Energy-Efficient Technologies: An empirical analysis of the free-rider effect 4. Energy-Efficiency Standards 5. Negotiated Agreements 6. Government Intervention Strategies in Stimulating the R&D of Energy-Efficient Technologies 7. Instrument Choice and Energy-Efficiency Improvement by Firms: An empirical analysis 8. Policy Instruments for Technology Adoption: A model for analysing the Diffusion of Energy-Efficient Technologies 9. Conclusions References Appendix I Appendix II Index. This book analyzes environmental policy in the Netherlands to present a wealth of empirical results on the successes and failures of governmental initiatives in environmental policy.