The preparation, implementation, coordination and verification of policy measures is a complex and difficult process. This paper presents the first results of an empirical ex-ante analysis which evaluates the effects of renewable energy policies on the bioenergy sector applying an Applied...

In this paper we develop an applied general equilibrium framework for assessing socio-economic impacts of alternative renewable energy policies and apply it to the bioenergy sector. The policy scenarios are assessed in a comparative static analysis. The numerical simulation results allow us to...

Exclusion zones, like protected areas or setback distances, are the most common policy instrument to mitigate environmental impacts of human land-use, including the deployment of renewable energy sources. While exclusion zones may provide environmental benefits, they may also bring about...

It is well known that EU Directive 2009/72/CE imposes to the European Countries environmental and energy targets. The Italian goal is to attain a 17% share in electricity production from renewable sources by 2020. To make investment in renewables attractive, market prices must be profitable and...

The present study offers a Contingent Valuation application to explore residents' willingness to pay for renewable energy supply in a case study in the Italian Alps. Data were originated from onsite personal interviews and were analyzed with a Tobit model. Results show that respondents are...

The European Union (EU) has set targets for gradually reducing greenhouse gas emissions through 2050. One of the instruments involved is the 2009 Renewable Energy Directive, which specifies a 20 per cent renewable energy target for the EU by 2020. This paper reviews tensions and institutional...

Increasing concerns about energy security and climate change mitigation have led to significant policy support for biofuels, particularly for cellulosic biofuels. This paper examines the short- and long-run effects of Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) on the mix of agricultural and forest biomass,...

Renewable energy production is an alternative to traditional energy resources that are being depleted, these new resources will gradually replace the exhausting energies by combining the three main features of the present century, so that sustainable development, energy security and...

The carbon mitigation literature has separately considered using forests to store carbon and as a source of bioenergy. In this paper, we look at both options to reach a 2°C mitigation target. This paper combines the global forest model, GTM, with the IAM WITCH model to study the optimal use of...

Biomass offers an alternative renewable energy source to fossil fuels and can be used to produce energy directly or through the production of liquid biofuels, e.g., ethanol, as a substitute for liquid transport fuels. Biomass also offers a vehicle to sequester carbon dioxide, thereby reducing...