Steven Pickle

Financing Investments in Renewable Energy: The Impacts of Policy Design

The costs of electric power projects utilizing renewable energy technologies (RETs) are highly sensitive to financing terms. Consequently, as the electricity industry is restructured and new renewables policies are created, it is important for policymakers to consider the impacts of renewables policy design on RET financing. This paper reviews the power plant financing process for renewable energy projects, estimates the impact of financing terms on levelized energy costs, and provides insights to policymakers on the important nexus between renewables policy design and financing. We review five case studies of renewable energy policies, and find that one of the key reasons that RET policies are not more effective is that project development and financing processes are frequently ignored or misunderstood when designing and implementing renewable energy policies. The case studies specifically show that policies that do not provide long-term stability or that have negative secondary impacts on investment decisions will increase financing costs, sometimes dramatically reducing the effectiveness of the program. Within U.S. electricity restructuring proceedings, new renewable energy policies are being created, and restructuring itself is changing the way RETs are financed. As these new policies are created and implemented, it is essential that policymakers acknowledge the financing difficulties faced by renewables developers and pay special attention to the impacts of renewables policy design on financing. As shown in this paper, a renewables policy that is carefully designed can reduce renewable energy costs dramatically by providing revenue certainty that will, in turn, reduce financing risk premiums.

Renewable energy policy and electricity restructuring: a California case study

Abstract Many countries are in the process of deregulating and restructuring their electric power industries. Although the introduction of retail competition may have negative impacts on the development of renewable energy, a number of countries are establishing new programs to support these clean energy technologies. In the United States, debate has centered on three primary renewables support mechanisms: (1) the renewables portfolio standard; (2) programs funded by an electricity distribution surcharge; and (3) voluntary renewable energy purchases by electricity customers via green power marketing. California provides a good case study of the design of renewables support programs within industry restructuring because policymakers considered all three of these options during the state’s restructuring proceedings. Moreover, many of the same policy options, design issues, and political conflicts that have arisen in California are likely to recur in other states and countries. Some of the most important lessons from the California experience include: (1) renewable energy and environmental advocates must clearly articulate the need and rationale for continued support of renewables; (2) cost containment and competitive neutrality concerns must be addressed head on; (3) combinations of policies are likely to be far more effective than any single renewables policy; and (4) the effectiveness of renewable energy policies developed during the restructuring process will be strongly linked to their duration and stability.

Financing investments in renewable energy: The role of policy design and restructuring

The costs of electric power projects utilizing renewable energy technologies are highly sensitive to financing terms. Consequently, as the electricity industry is restructured and new renewables policies are created, it is important for policymakers to consider the impacts of renewables policy design on project financing. This report describes the power plant financing process and provides insights to policymakers on the important nexus between renewables policy design and finance. A cash-flow model is used to estimate the impact of various financing variables on renewable energy costs. Past and current renewable energy policies are then evaluated to demonstrate the influence of policy design on the financing process and on financing costs. The possible impacts of electricity restructuring on power plant financing are discussed and key design issues are identified for three specific renewable energy programs being considered in the restructuring process: (1) surcharge-funded policies; (2) renewables portfolio standards; and (3) green marketing programs. Finally, several policies that are intended to directly reduce financing costs and barriers are analyzed. The authors find that one of the key reasons that renewables policies are not more effective is that project development and financing processes are frequently ignored or misunderstood when designing and implementing renewable energy incentives. A policy that is carefully designed can reduce renewable energy costs dramatically by providing revenue certainty that will, in turn, reduce financing risk premiums.

Green marketing, renewables, and free riders: increasing customer demand for a public good

Retail electricity competition will allow customers to select their own power suppliers and some customers will make purchase decisions based, in part, on their concern for the environment. Green power marketing targets these customers under the assumption that they will pay a premium for ``green`` energy products such as renewable power generation. But renewable energy is not a traditional product because it supplies public goods; for example, a customer supporting renewable energy is unable to capture the environmental benefits that their investment provides to non-participating customers. As with all public goods, there is a risk that few customers will purchase ``green`` power and that many will instead ``free ride`` on others` participation. By free riding, an individual is able to enjoy the benefits of the public good while avoiding payment. This report reviews current green power marketing activities in the electric industry, introduces the extensive academic literature on public goods, free riders, and collective action problems, and explores in detail the implications of this literature for the green marketing of renewable energy. Specifically, the authors highlight the implications of the public goods literature for green power product design and marketing communications strategies. They emphasize four mechanisms that marketers can use to increase customer demand for renewable energy. Though the public goods literature can also contribute insights into the potential rationale for renewable energy policies, they leave most of these implications for future work (see Appendix A for a possible research agenda).

Renewable energy and restructuring: policy solutions for the financing dilemma

Abstract New renewable energy policies are being created at the state and national levels. As past experience shows, to craft successful support programs, policymakers must acknowledge the financing difficulties faced by renewables developers and pay special attention to the impacts of policy design on financing.

Purchasing power and related services: a window into customer preferences

Abstract End-users of electricity will soon be faced with opportunities to express their power purchase preferences in ways never before possible. Evidence from solicitations and negotiations to date indicates an interest in a diverse array of services.

Power Supply Expansion and the Nuclear Option in Poland

This paper describes the construction of a data set of the Polish power sector for use with the Elfin capacity expansion planning model. Using Elfin, the paper derives four scenarios and some sensitivities for new generating capacity construction plans. These scenarios simulate choices among several generic generating technologies made to achieve the lowest overall net present cost of operating the power system through 2015. Key results include: (i) single‐cycle natural gas‐fired combustion turbines prove highly attractive for Poland because of its urgent need for peaking capacity, (ii) nuclear power cannot be excluded from consideration for Poland on economic grounds alone, (iii) the effectiveness of conservation to reduce airborne emissions is limited under scenarios in which nuclear generation is adopted, and (iv) the attractiveness of nuclear is shown to be highly sensitive to assumptions on some uncertain inputs, suggesting the need for a more detailed analysis before policy implications can be drawn.

Information systems requirements for a deregulated electric power industry: Assessment and perspectives from the 1996 Informatics Workshop

Abstract Electric utility restructuring promises to radically alter the information requirements of the electric power industry. In contemplating the impact of restructuring on information flows between and among power generators, distributors, and consumers, two key question arise: (1) what are the information systems (informatics) requirements for a fully competitive electric power industry? And (2) what (if any) is the appropriate role for public agencies in deregulated power markets? In April 1996, speakers at the Workshop on Informatics Requirements for a Restructured Competitive Electric Power Industry addressed these questions. What follows is an initial assessment of key issues surrounding electric utility restructuring, informatics, and public policy concerns followed by a series of speaker perspectives from the Workshop. These perspectives draw together the views of academic, government and industry analysts on the issues of informatics requirements and public involvement in information systems for a deregulated power industry.

Power Supply Expansion And The Nuclear Option In Poland

This paper describes the construction of a data set of the Polish power sector for use with the Elfin capacity expansion planning model. Using Elfin, the paper derives four scenarios and some sensitivities for new generating capacity construction plans. These scenarios simulate choices among several generic generating technologies made to achieve the lowest overall net present cost of operating the power system through 2015. Key results include: (i) single-cycle natural gas-fired combustion turbines prove highly attractive for Poland because of its urgent need for peaking capacity, (ii) nuclear power cannot be excluded from consideration for Poland on economic grounds alone, (iii) the effectiveness of conservation to reduce airborne emissions is limited under scenarios in which nuclear generation is adopted, and (iv) the attractiveness of nuclear is shown to be highly sensitive to assumptions on some uncertain inputs, suggesting the need for a more detailed analysis before policy implications can be drawn. Copyright 1998 Western Economic Association International.