This report highlights the potential role of nuclear in contributing to the circular carbon economy as a low-carbon source of electricity, but also as a source of heat and system integration services. It further highlights the essential role played by the existing nuclear reactor fleet in...

Electric power in OECD countries is mostly produced by large central generating stations, then transmitted along high voltage lines to local distribution systems that carry it to final consumers. Distributed generation plants are different. They produce power on an electricity consumer’s own...

Electricity shortages can paralyse our modern economies. All governments fear rolling black-outs and their economic consequences, especially in economies increasingly based on digital technologies. Over the last two decades, the development of markets for power has produced cost reduction,...

This report examines institutional investor participation in markets for digital assets, including crypto-assets and decentralised finance (DeFi). It considers and tests potential drivers of growing supply and demand for such assets by institutional investors, analyses the potential for...

Discussions on Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) have so far mostly focused on the potential risks that these currencies could represent for financial intermediation and financial stability. It is important, however, to also consider how they could contribute to the welfare of citizens,...

This paper analyses the mechanisms involved in the recent failings in crypto-asset markets, focusing on events in 2022 through September. The paper assesses the role of centralised finance (CeFi) and decentralised finance (DeFi), and the disproportionate impact the crypto market turmoil has had...

Crypto-asset markets are rapidly developing and reached USD 3tn in late 2021, yet the infrastructure supporting mainstream crypto-assets, such as the Bitcoin, use an enormous amount of energy. This paper explores the growing environmental impact of crypto-assets due to increasing institutional...

Decentralised finance, including crypto-asset markets and DeFi protocol activity, has been promoted as a tool to support the democratisation of finance. This report presents quantitative evidence from ASEAN economies that participation in decentralised finance markets has been largely driven by...

This report analyses the emergence and potential of ICOs as a financing mechanism for start-ups and SMEs, examines the benefits and challenges of this mechanism for small businesses and investors, and discusses the policy implications of ICO activity for the inclusive financing of SMEs and the...