Eric Martinot

Renewable Energy Policies and Barriers

The 1990s saw an explosion of energy policy changes around the globe. Driven by economic, environmental, security, and social concerns, energy regulation has been in great flux. Many of the changes are having a profound influence on renewable energy, both from policies explicitly designed to promote renewable energy and from other policies that indirectly influence incentives and barriers for renewable energy. This article considers six different types of policies that affect renewable energy development, both directly or indirectly: renewable energy promotion policies, transport biofuels policies, emissions reduction policies, electric power restructuring policies, distributed generation policies, and rural electrification policies. Each policy reduces one or more key barriers that impede development of renewable energy. These barriers are discussed first. In general, most renewable energy policies address cost-related barriers in some manner. Many policies address the requirements for utilities to purchase renewable energy from power producers. Most policies also address the perceived risks of renewable energy in one form or another (i.e., technical, financial, legal). Still others primarily address regulatory and institutional barriers. Some related policies may heighten barriers to renewable energy rather than reduce them. Table 1 summarizes the key renewable energy policies and barriers presented.

Renewable energy investment by the World Bank

World Bank Group lending for renewable energy accelerated in the 1990s and resulted in 17 approved projects with

Energy-efficient lighting programs: Experience and lessons from eight countries

700 million in Bank loans and

World bank energy projects in China: influences on environmental protection

230 million in grants by the Global Environment Facility. The Banks 1999 energy-sector strategy Fuel for Thought charted new directions for renewable energy investment. The present paper considers the implementation challenges of Fuel for Thought strategies and the opportunities for carrying them out. The paper distinguishes between agendas in the energy and rural-development sectors, and reviews limitations to implementing these agendas. Lessons from projects are just emerging, but suggest ve areas of support for renewable energy by the Bank in the future: renewable energy nancing, electric power policy frameworks, rural energy enterprises, regulated rural energy concessions, and domestic technology manufacturing. Interviews with the private sector suggest additional forms of support: assist with business plans, nance pre-feasibility studies, reduce commercial risks, support joint ventures, build market volume and stability, and pilot and test innovative business models. The e!ectiveness of the Bank in following through on its ambitious agenda fundamentally rests on the willingness and commitment of developing countries to pursue these strategies and the degree to which renewable energy applications are seen to serve countries development priorities. 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Renewable energy in Russia: markets, development and technology transfer

Abstract We analyze ten case studies of energy-efficient lighting programs in eight countries – Poland, Thailand, Mexico, Jamaica, Peru, Brazil, Denmark and the United Kingdom – to draw out and compare the lessons and experience related to program approaches, technology diffusion and market transformation impacts, cost effectiveness of greenhouse-gas reductions, and economic benefits. Program approaches include direct subsidies, wholesale buy-downs, bulk procurement, give-aways, education, voluntary agreements, and consumer financing mechanisms. All approaches were adequate to deliver a targeted quantity of high-efficiency lamps to consumers, but differed substantially in their cost-effectiveness, economic benefits and market transformation effects. The Poland, Thailand, Danish and UK cases in particular show that lighting programs can reduce CO 2 emissions at a cost of US

WIND-GENERATED ELECTRIC POWER IN THE FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS: GEOGRAPHICAL PROSPECTS

5–US

Renewables 2010: Global Status Report

10/ton, or even less including indirect impacts. The potential indirect impacts on national lighting markets through the market transformation aspects of the programs are significant but difficult to assess because of the absence of pre-project baselines. The cases focus mainly on compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) for residential use, and include four recent projects financed in part by the Global Environment Facility.

RENEWABLE ENERGY MARKETS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Abstract A study of the World Banks energy-related project portfolio in China reveals several areas where World Bank assistance has clearly influenced broader trends in energy and environmental protection in China. This paper reviews the World Banks 36 energy-related projects approved from 1984 to 1999 in the context of these broader trends. Projects helped accelerate development of large-scale efficient coal power plants, hydropower, state-of-the-art technologies for controlling power-plant emissions, and international-best-practice environmental assessments of energy projects. The World Bank has just begun to fund several promising initiatives for energy efficiency and renewable energy. At the same time, some opportunities for the Chinese government and the World Bank to jointly promote environmentally sounder energy development are only just now being addressed, such as natural gas distribution and utilization, rural energy and development, wind power, energy efficiency of heat supply and buildings, energy efficiency in industry through performance contracting, and greater support for clean energy options within ongoing electric power sector reform.

Renewable Energy Futures: Targets, Scenarios, and Pathways

Five potential markets in Russia offer commercial opportunities for renewable energy that are nearly cost-competitive with conventional forms of energy--grid-connected electricity from wind power, electricity for villages and small settlements from hybrid wind-diesel and biomass, district heating for buildings from biomass, hot water for buildings from solar thermal, and electricity and heat from geothermal. Over the last several decades the Soviet Union conducted research and development on several forms of renewable energy. Technological infrastructure, scientific and technical knowledge, engineering and technical skills, and factories and equipment are all well developed assets. But the translation of these assets into commercial renewable energy technologies and markets is a problem because associated market-oriented skills and institutions are still lacking. Many barriers also exist, including lack of information and demonstration experience, lack of long-term commercial financing, a perceived climate of high investment risk, technology acceptance, some direct and indirect energy price subsidies (most energy prices have risen to market levels), utility monopolies and the absence of operational regulatory frameworks for independent power producers, and historical enterprise specialization. Market intermediation is very important for renewable-energy investments and technology transfer, providing the knowledge, information, skills, services, financing, and analysis that is necessary to overcome barriers. Joint ventures with foreign multinational corporations represent another important means for overcoming barriers, one that takes advantage of Russian technological capabilities. Four case studies illustrate the most prominent examples of renewable energy technology transfer with Russia, Ukraine, and the Baltic States during the period 1992-1996.

A study of the role played by renewable energies in China's sustainable energy supply

Geographical factors underlying the prospects for wind-generated electric power in the former Soviet republics are surveyed. Discussed are a brief history of Soviet energy development and emerging public attitudes towards energy, the characteristics and topology of the electric power system, high-wind-speed macroregions within the territory of the former Soviet Union, geographical features of these high-wind-speed regions, and Soviet and Western wind power technology and research and development. This integrated assessment suggests why and where wind power may be developed.