Energy Policy, Regulation and Sustainable Development

27 pages, 1341 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Energy Ladder, Decarbonisation and Energy Poverty: The European Union Inside

by Zbysław Dobrowolski, Peter Adamišin, Waldemar Sługocki and Sławomir Kotylak

Energies 2025, 18(5), 1180; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18051180 - 28 Feb 2025

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In the forthcoming decades, the energy sector will confront significant transitions related to climate change, supply stability, and energy poverty. The initial two aspects have undergone thorough scientific analysis, whilst the third has received comparatively less analysis despite its significant impact on the lives of millions. Using a systematic literature review, laws and regulations and document analysis, and based on the assumption of an energy ladder, this study provides an overview of energy poverty and its implications. The research focuses on energy poverty in developed countries and answers whether the European Union’s implemented and planned actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions cause energy poverty. Based on the Polish case, the study shows that the EU’s scheduled actions aimed to stabilise climate change, although right in intention, require modification because they do not fully consider the significant economic and energy development diversity of the European Union Member States and may increase energy poverty affecting the European inhabitants. The findings show that due to the implementation of the EU Emission Trading System 2 in 2027, transport costs may increase by almost one-third, which will raise the prices of goods and services and affect energy poverty. This study develops the stream of research on energy poverty, modifies the concept of the energy ladder and shows threats resulting from the ETS2 implementation. The paper proposes the avenues of future research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Energy Policy, Regulation and Sustainable Development—2nd Edition)

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31 pages, 18606 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Coal Phase-Out and Carbon Tax Analysis with Long-Term Planning Models: A Case Study for the Chilean Electric Power System

by Patricio Castillo, Matias Aguad, Álvaro Lorca, Samuel Cordova and Matias Negrete-Pincetic

Energies 2024, 17(21), 5263; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17215263 - 22 Oct 2024

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Abstract

Large CO₂ emissions constitute a significant problem today due to their effect on climate change, and the need to design appropriate energy policies to mitigate their consequences and reduce emissions requires a detailed analysis of one of the main sources of such emissions: the electricity system. Thus, this paper presents a study on the effects of energy policies on decarbonization by comparing the detailed phase-out of coal-fired power plants across a range of cases with the implementation of a carbon tax to meet Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The case study focuses on the Chilean electricity system, using a long-term generation and transmission expansion planning model (GTEP) that incorporates a wide range of generation technologies. The study examines the long-term effects of these policies, including costs, investments, and CO₂ emissions, as well as their impact on consumer prices reflected in the marginal costs of the system. The transmission system modeling covers various regions of Chile and significant projections for renewable energy sources. It evaluates three economic scenarios based on generation technology costs, fuel prices, and electricity demand under four different closure schemes and fourteen different carbon tax levels. The results indicate that implementing a carbon tax can be more cost-effective for the system than the implementation of a phase-out schedule for coal plants, taking the form of reduced CO₂ emission and overall system costs, with an optimal carbon tax value of 37 USD/tCO₂. Additionally, the study reveals significant effects on consumer prices, showing that a carbon tax as an energy policy leads to lower prices compared to a phase-out scheme. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Energy Policy, Regulation and Sustainable Development—2nd Edition)

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