This article demonstrates that the large feed-in tariffs currently guaranteed for solar electricity in Germany constitute a subsidization regime that, if extended to 2020, threatens to reach a level comparable to that of German hard coal production, a notoriously outstanding example of misguided...

This paper discusses aspects related to the green technology sector in Germany. In a first step institutional reforms enabling diffusion of green technologies are analysed. Cost arguments are also taken into account. In a second step a theoretical model developed by Tanguay et al. (2004) is...

The allure of an environmentally benign, abundant, and cost-effective energy source has led an increasing number of industrialized countries to back public financing of renewable energies. Germany's experience with renewable energy promotion is often cited as a model to be replicated elsewhere,...

Rising energy prices for fossil fuels, the unreliable supply of energy imports during the last winters and - concerning the 12 new members states (NMS) - the demand by the European Union (EU) for developing National Renewable Energy Action Plans have stimulated the national discussion and...

Ziel dieses Papers ist es, die derzeitige Diskussion bzgl. des sog. Merit-Order Effektes der erneuerbaren Energien auf den Strompreis kritisch zu beleuchten. Veröffentlichungen, welche diesen Effekt quantifizieren, weisen für die Jahre 2005 und 2006 einen Großhandels-Strompreis senkenden...

This article revisits an analysis by Frondel, Ritter and Schmidt (2008) of Germany's Renewable Energy Act, which legislates a system of feed-in tariff s to promote the use of renewable energies. As in the original article, we argue that Germany's support scheme subsidizes renewable energy...

Power production from renewable energies is supported through special support schemes in almost all industrialised countries. This is because they are generally not competitive today although their use offers a number of benefits that are not considered by energy markets. These support schemes...

Time was when solar energy was facilely dismissed as impractical, inefficient, and pricey. In recent years, however, innovations in technology, regulation, and financing have resulted in remarkable efficiency improvements and price reductions, thereby reversing the skepticism about this...

Dieser Aufsatz argumentiert, dass die deutsche EE-Förderung auf einer falschen Konzeption beruht. Sie hat sich vorwiegend befehlswirtschaftlicher Methoden bedient und eine Staatsschuldillusion zu erzeugen versucht. Es verwundert infolgedessen nicht, dass enorme Kosten entstanden sind,...

In addition to the already present Climate and Energy package, the European Union (EU) plans to include a binding target to reduce energy consumption. We analyze the rationales the EU invokes to justify such an overlapping and develop a minimal common framework to study interactions arising from...