Access to electricity is an important precondition to many aspects of human and economic development. Yet, in rural sub-Saharan Africa in particular, access rates remain very low — at an average of 17% and much lower in some cases. Rural electrification in Kenya, the focus of this thesis, had only reached 7% in 2014. Given the goal of universal electrification by 2030, formulated as part of Sustainable Development Goal 7, scalable and replicable approaches that are able to support productive and non-productive uses are required. Mini-grids are one promising solution to this problem, alongside grid extension and off-grid approaches such as solar home systems. However, their long-term operational sustainability has historically been a challenge. While the academic literature to date on sustainable energy access has largely been two-dimensional in its analysis of mini-grids (focusing on technology and economics or financing), this thesis contributes to an emerging body of recent contributions to the literature, which have begun to foreground socio-cultural considerations. Bridging the literature on collective action for common-pool resource (CPR) management and property rights theory, a refined theoretical framework is produced for the purpose of analysing the institutional conditions for sustainable management of rural mini-grids. The utility of this framework and of treating electricity in a mini-grid as a CPR is demonstrated via empirical analysis of three case studies of mini-grids in rural Kenya and evidence from 24 expert interviews. This yields insights on nontechnological approaches to addressing operational challenges relating to sustainable mini-grid management, e.g. fair allocation of limited amounts of electricity to different consumers in ways that are acceptable to the entire community. This thesis develops contributions to the literature on sustainable CPR management and collective action, property rights theory and energy access in developing countries. From these theoretical and empirical insights, it explores a novel institutional structure for sustainable management of pro-poor mini-grids in the form of a community–private property hybrid management platform, thereby opening up opportunities for future research into the implementation of such a platform. The thesis represents the first comprehensive attempt to analyse the institutional aspects of pro-poor mini-grid management as well as the first comprehensive attempt to treat electricity in a mini-grid as a CPR.

This thesis deals with the EU energy policy and its impact on the energy sector of the Czech Republic. The main objective is to analyze the implemantation and impact of the EU climate-energy package on the czech energy sector. The first part is devoted to describing the current state of the energy sector in the country.The second part is the theory of externalities due to the fact that carbon dioxid emissions are externalities, which the EU is trying tu reduce through its climate-energy measures. The third part delas with EU energy policy and the fourth one with its applications and implications in the Czech Republic.

This dissertation examines the relationship between resource nationalism and energy integration, and uses Bolivia and Brazil as a test case. Essentially, does resource nationalism affect energy integration? The findings nest within more expansive questions on international political economy and export-driven models of development. Why do populist regimes, historically operating under an economic nationalist cum protectionist paradigm, simultaneously pursue policies of economic integration? What is the relationship between resource nationalists and open markets, especially in the hydrocarbons sector? What is the relationship between populists, who are typically resource nationalists, and their decision to choose policies of energy integration? The most common responses to the above are that resource nationalists pursue protectionist policies in the hydrocarbon sector. This dissertation demonstrates that once in power, resource nationalists do not always pursue protectionist policies in the hydrocarbon sector, but instead rely on market forces. Another common response is that populists pursue policies of resource nationalism in the hydrocarbon sector. This dissertation demonstrates that populists do not always pursue policies of resource nationalism in the hydrocarbon sector, but instead choose policies of integration. Policies of integration are compelled by market forces, and at times ironically provide the foundation for resource nationalism to later flourish. This dissertation develops a case-study of Bolivia and Brazil to assess the relationship between resource nationalism and energy integration. The case is selected based on each country having energy resources or derivative products for exploitation and use, an energy trade relationship between the countries, the presence of government-run natural resource firms in each country, and a specific period where resource nationalism is present. Bolivia and Brazil are important for this study because of their proximity, particularly where the supply of natural gas is concerned. Proximity is of great importance as natural gas infrastructure is concomitant with energy integration, particularly supply.

As an alternative renewable source for bioenergy, forest biomass has recently drawn more attention from the U.S. government and the general public. Woody biomass policies have been adopted to encourage the new bioenergy industry. A variety of state policy incentives attempt to create a desirable legal climate and lure new firms, imposing two important questions regarding state government policies and the sustainable use of forest resources. This dissertation sheds some light on these questions. The first paper constructs a woody biomass policy index through scoring each statute and weighting different categories of policies from the vantage point of renewable energy investment. It analyzes the disparity in the strength of state government incentives in the woody biomass utilization. The second paper employs a conditional logit model (CLM) to explore the effects of woody biomass policies on the siting decisions of new bioenergy projects. In addition, significant state attributes influencing the births of new bioenergy firms are identified such as resource availability, business tax climate, delivered pulpwood price, and the average wage rate. The third paper uses the Sub-Regional Timber Supply (SRTS) model to examine the regional aggregate forest biomass feedstock potential in Tennessee and to predict the impacts of additional pulpwood demand on the regional roundwood market through 2030. The fourth paper includes the benefits of thinning and logging residues in a dynamic optimization model to analyze how bioenergy policies will impact forest stock, harvest levels, optimal rotation, and silvicultural effort. The results may have substantial implications regarding woody biomass policies, the creation of a new bioenergy industry, and sustainable forest resource management. A lucrative state woody biomass policy support and tax climate can attract new bioenergy businesses. States endowed with abundant forest resources may choose to provide strong tax incentives to spur the birth of new plants. However, overuse of forest biomass can impact roundwood markets and traditional wood processing industries. How government incentives will affect the sustainability of natural resources can be diverse. These findings offer constructive insights in the enactment and implementation of new woody biomass legislation.

This thesis uses cross-country panel regressions to identify the effects of fossil-fuel subsidies for both oil importers and oil exporters on GDP growth, industry growth, crowding out of government expenditures in education, health, and infrastructure, government debt, carbon dioxide emissions, inequality and poverty. Fossil-fuel subsidies are found to be associated with lower levels of growth and industry growth, less government expenditure on health and education, poorer infrastructure quality, more government debt, and higher rates of carbon dioxide emissions. No relationship is found between fossil fuel subsidies and poverty and inequality. These results confirm the arguments of those that argue that fossil-fuel subsidies should be rationalized. However, removing subsidies is politically challenging. In order to identify strategies for fossil fuel reform, the successful reform efforts of Indonesia and Turkey are examined. These cases are then used to draw lessons for governments undertaking subsidy reform. The key strategies used were to exempt some regions, groups, or fuels from reform, use funds from subsidy removal for social safety nets and other poverty alleviation programs, time the reforms strategically, and communicate clearly to the public the reason for reform and how the funds will be used. These lessons are applied to countries in the developing Middle East and North Africa, including Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco.

The role of trust in social, economic, political, and organizational relations is a research topic that has received much attention during the last decade. Trust has been considered a key variable in various contexts, although it should be noted that many theorists pay little attention to empirically testing their arguments about the importance of trust. It is in the present thesis examined whether trust is an important variable in the context of risk policy.This question was addressed from different perspectives in three empirical studies, which were based on extensive survey data. The first article concerned the case of energy policy and the relationship between people’s perceptions of nuclear risks and their attitudes towards various aspects of energy policy was examined. In the second article it was studied whether trust was an important predictor of perceived risk within and across four European countries. Finally, in the third article, determinants of public trust in organizations were studied. An important finding in the thesis was that determinants of trust varied depending on the organization studied. It was also found that trust was a significant predictor of perceived risk, but the relationship was not very strong. It was suggested that the overall policy implications for risk management should be that there are limits to the possibilities to increase the level of trustworthiness and build public trust. An organization could make strong efforts to build an image of being a competent, open, fair, and credible organization, but still not gain the necessary degree of trust, because public perceptions can be based on certain organizational characteristics that are very fundamental and not easily changed. Furthermore, even if an organization succeeds in building a high degree of public trust, it was found in the thesis that it is possible to trust those responsible for risk management to be very competent and honest, yet perceive risks as high. A number of possible causes for this interesting finding are presented in the thesis. / <p>Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan, 2003</p>

This thesis uses cross-country panel regressions to identify the effects of fossil-fuel subsidies for both oil importers and oil exporters on GDP growth, industry growth, crowding out of government expenditures in education, health, and infrastructure, government debt, carbon dioxide emissions, inequality and poverty. Fossil-fuel subsidies are found to be associated with lower levels of growth and industry growth, less government expenditure on health and education, poorer infrastructure quality, more government debt, and higher rates of carbon dioxide emissions. No relationship is found between fossil fuel subsidies and poverty and inequality. These results confirm the arguments of those that argue that fossil-fuel subsidies should be rationalized. However, removing subsidies is politically challenging. In order to identify strategies for fossil fuel reform, the successful reform efforts of Indonesia and Turkey are examined. These cases are then used to draw lessons for governments undertaking subsidy reform. The key strategies used were to exempt some regions, groups, or fuels from reform, use funds from subsidy removal for social safety nets and other poverty alleviation programs, time the reforms strategically, and communicate clearly to the public the reason for reform and how the funds will be used. These lessons are applied to countries in the developing Middle East and North Africa, including Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco.

In an attempt to achieve energy independence, rural economic development, and greenhouse gas emissions reduction, the United States has turned to fuels derived from agriculture. The U.S. Congress and Environmental Protection Agency mandated the blending of biofuels into conventional gasoline until 2022 under the Renewable Fuel Standard. However, largely missing from the discussion of biofuels is their feasibility regarding environmental protection and end-use marketing to consumers. This thesis investigates the motive for biofuel mandates in the U.S., the irony in the EPA’s decision to back a resource-exhaustive fuel source, and the questionable ability of the U.S. to supply and consume greater volumes of biofuels in the transportation sector. Barriers to consumption are outlined as increased production costs and high market fuel prices, strong political backing of traditional energy sources, and environmental implications of production on ecosystems in certain regions of the United States. By analyzing Iowa and Texas as two biofuel-producing states held in high regards for biofuel production capacity—yet varying degrees of consumption—the feasibility of reaching federal biofuel mandates and promoting this alternative fuel is determined.

Current federal and provincial efficiency standards for residential water heating are based solely on the tested efficiency of individual water heating devices. Additional energy expended or saved as the water cycles through the home is not taken into account. This research, co-funded by British Columbia’s Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources (MEMPR), is a first step toward the Province’s goal of developing a new energy efficiency standard for water heating systems in new construction. This groundbreaking new standard would employ a “systems” approach, establishing guidelines for new construction based on the total energy used for water heating within the building envelope The research team has developed a Simulink computer model which, using a one-minute time-step, simulates 24-hour cycles of water heating in a single-family home. The objectives of this thesis are to use that model to simulate a variety of water heating technology combinations, and to devise methods of utilizing the resulting data to evaluate water heating systems as a whole and to quantify each system’s relative energy impact. A metric has been developed to evaluate the efficiency of the system: the system energy factor (SEF) is the ratio of energy used directly to heat water over the amount of energy drawn from conventional fuel sources. The CO2 impact of that energy draw is also considered. Data is generated for cities in three different climates around BC: Kamloops, Victoria and Williams Lake. Electric and gas-fired tank water heaters of various sizes and efficiencies are simulated, along with less traditional energy-saving technologies such as solar-assisted pre-heat and waste water heat recovery components. A total of 7,488 six-day simulations are run, each representing a unique combination of technology, load size, location and season. The resulting data is presented from a variety of angles, including the relative impacts of water heater rating, additional technology type, location and season on the SEF of the system. The interplay between SEF and carbon dioxide production is also examined. These two factors are proposed as the basis for devising performance tiers by which to rank water heating systems. Two proposals are made regarding how these tiers might be organized based on the data presented here, though any tiers will have to be re-evaluated pending data on a wider range of technology combinations. A brief financial analysis is also offered, exploring the potential payback period for various technology combinations in each location. Given current equipment and energy costs, the financial savings garnered by the increase in energy efficiency are not, in most cases, found to be sufficient to justify the expense to the homeowner from a purely fiscal perspective. Additional changes would need to take place to ensure the financial viability of these technologies before large-scale adoption of systems-based standards could be employed. / Graduate

Die Begriffe Energiewende, Energieautarkie, Bioenergieregionen, nachhaltige Energieversorgung und Energieautonomie genießen in den aktuellen Debatten zum Thema Energiepolitik eine erhöhte Aufmerksamkeit. Die Energieversorgung in Deutschland muss sich in Zukunft nach Einschätzung der Bundesregierung und der Fachwelt grundlegend ändern, um den Ansprüchen von Versorgungssicherheit, Umweltverträglichkeit und der Bezahlbarkeit genügen zu können. Das Konzept der Energieautonomie bzw. Energieautarkie kann diese Ansprüche am geeignetsten zusammenführen. Den Kommunen kommt bei der Energiewende eine besondere Rolle zu, da hier die Ursachen- und Wirkungszusammenhänge des menschlichen Handelns durch deren Kleinräumigkeit eng mit einander verbunden sind. Bisher ist die Frage nach Erfolgsfaktoren und hemmenden Faktoren von Energieautonomieprozessen noch relativ wenig erforscht. Im Zentrum dieser primär empirischen Arbeit steht daher die Frage, welche hemmende und fördernde Faktoren für die Durchführung einer kommunalen, energiepolitischen Transformation mit dem Ziel der Energieautonomie auf der Basis von 100% Erneuerbare Energien existieren. Der Fokus dieser Untersuchung liegt dabei auf dem Freistaat Sachsen, in welchem bisher keine Kommune eine vollständige Umsetzung des Konzeptes der Energieautonomie erreichen konnte. In einem ersten Schritt wurde mittels der Analyse von bereits zu dem Thema vorliegenden Leitfäden mögliche fördernde und hemmende Faktoren herausgearbeitet und strukturiert. Diese wurden in einem zweiten Schritt durch Experteninterviews ergänzt und zusammengeführt. Eine zweite Interviewrunde mit Akteuren aus fünf Beispielkommunen in Sachsen überprüfte im Anschluss daran, welche dieser Faktoren wirksam sind. Als Resultat dieser empirischen Forschungsarbeit konnten fünf fördernde und ein hemmender Faktor für die Entwicklung kommunaler Energieautonomieprozesse identifiziert und daraus Handlungsanweisungen für die Politik und interessierten Akteuren für eine Ausdehnung der energiepolitischen Bestrebungen in Richtung Energieautonomie abgeleitet werden.