Universität zu Köln

Dieckhöner, Caroline (2013). Essays on the Economics of Energy Markets - Security of Supply and Greenhouse Gas Abatement. PhD thesis, Universität zu Köln.

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Abstract

In summary, the presented thesis analyzes two distinct economic subjects: security of supply in natural gas markets and greenhouse gas abatement potentials in the residential heating market. These subjects considered both reflect key points in the triangle of energy policy and are both associated with transnational market failures within energy markets. The security of supply analyses in an intermeshed network are approached from a rather normative, top-down perspective of a social planner. On the contrary, the analyses of greenhouse gases emitted by households are positive analyses of consumer choices. The normative analyses of security of supply in natural gas markets and the positive analyses on greenhouse gas abatement in the residential heating market are organized in two parts of the thesis. 1. Normative analyses - Security of supply in natural gas markets: The two papers of the first part of the dissertation thesis are based on a normative approach with the European natural gas market and infrastructure model TIGER that allows for security of supply analyses. The general idea behind the modeling approach is based on the assumption of a social planner and finds an efficient utilization of the natural gas infrastructure. More precisely, the security of supply analyses conducted in the first part of the thesis refer to scenario simulations of disrupted supply routes in the European natural gas network. The effects of these security of supply scenarios on the usage of other infrastructure components, on marginal supply costs and disruptions to consumers are investigated. 2. Positive analyses of greenhouse gas abatement potentials - Econometric modeling of consumer choices and evaluation of public policies: The second part of the thesis includes two positive analyses which investigate household choices to derive greenhouse gas abatement potentials. In the residential heating market, the energy efficiency level exhibited and the type of energy carrier used are determined by investment decisions and significantly affect the level of greenhouse gas emissions. Major investment decisions of households concern investments in heating systems and in dwelling insulation. The investment decision of heterogenous households is not strictly driven by monetary objectives but also by non-monetary preferences. Hence, understanding household behavior is crucial for the development of targeted policies in greenhouse gas abatement. In the third paper of the thesis, micro-economic greenhouse gas abatement curves are derived theoretically and numerically by applying the dynamic microsimulation model (DIscrHEat) for the residential heating market, which integrates a discrete choice estimation of household behavior by using data on actual heating choices. The last paper is a panel data analysis of the effectiveness of subsidies on residential investments in energy efficiency and on energy consumption applying a differences-in-differences-in-differences approach.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD thesis)
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Dieckhöner, Caroline c.dieckhoener@googlemail.com UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-50074
Date:	1 February 2013
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Management, Economy and Social Sciences
Divisions:	Externe Einrichtungen > An-Institute > Associated Institutes of the Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences > Institute for Energy Economics
Subjects:	Economics
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language energy market modeling, natural gas market, household behavior, welfare measurement, policy analyses, optimization, panel data models, treatment effect models English
Date of oral exam:	18 December 2012
Referee:	Name Academic Title Höffler, Felix Prof. Dr. Growitsch, Christian PD Dr.
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/5007