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- Technological progress and other factors behind the adoption of electric vehicles: Empirical evidence for EU countriesPublication . Neves, Sónia Almeida; Marques, António Cardoso; Fuinhas, José AlbertoThis paper aims to analyse the factors supporting the transition to new forms of mobility, namely Electric Vehicles (EV). For a deep understanding of these effects, we analysed EV, by dividing them into individual Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), which are 100% electric, and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV). The factors examined include: policy, social, economic, environmental, and technical. This paper uses data from 2010 to 2016 for a panel of the 24 EU countries. A Panel-Corrected Standard Errors (PCSE) estimator is used. When comparing the results of analysing BEV and PHEV individually, and all EV together, they prove to be quite different. This finding indicates that policies should be tailored to each individual technology, rather than a single one for all EV. The proxy used for technological progress is the increased use of both BEV and PHEV. The evidence is also provided that charging stations are drivers of electric mobility.
- Is energy consumption in the transport sector hampering both economic growth and the reduction of CO 2 emissions? A disaggregated energy consumption analysisPublication . Neves, Sónia Almeida; Marques, António Cardoso; Fuinhas, José AlbertoThe transport sector was analysed by studying the interaction between conventional (fossil fuels) and alternative (electricity and renewable fuels) energy consumption, on economic growth and CO2 emissions. To do this, annual data for 15 OECD countries from 1995 to 2014 was used. The short- and long-run effects were analysed individually with the robust Driscoll-Kraay estimator in an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) structure. The results support the argument that fossil fuels consumption in the transport sector have contributed to increasing both economic growth and CO2 emissions. In contrast, both electricity and renewable fuels in the transport sector have hampered economic growth. This paper supports the idea that the shift to a low-carbon transport sector must be reanalysed. Although the use of renewable fuels is reducing CO2 emissions, a negative impact on economic growth could reveal that the costs remain high. Furthermore, the transition to electric mobility must be pursued, but policies need to be reconsidered, to avoid obstructing economic growth.
- On the drivers of peak electricity demand: What is the role played by battery electric cars?Publication . Neves, Sónia Almeida; Marques, António Cardoso; Fuinhas, José AlbertoThe analysis of the drivers of both peak electricity demand and renewable electricity generation con- stitutes the main objective of this paper. Data from 2010 to 2016 for a panel of 20 European Union countries were used. Two models were estimated using both Panel-Corrected Standard Errors and Driscoll-Kraay estimators with fixed effects. These estimators were robust in the presence of cross- section dependence, first-order serial correlation and heteroscedasticity. The main results suggest that renewable electricity generation and the penetration of battery electric vehicles into the automotive market are helping to decrease peak electricity demand. At the same time, it was confirmed that employment in this industry sector is increasing peak electricity demand. The existence of peak periods was shown to be the main barrier to the integration of renewables into electricity systems. It seems that policies focused on Demand Side Management have been effective in integrating renewables in contrast to their lack of success in reducing peak electricity demand.
- Adoption of energy efficiency measures in the buildings of micro-, small- and medium-sized Portuguese enterprisesPublication . Cunha, Paulo; Neves, Sónia Almeida; Marques, António Cardoso; Serrasqueiro, ZéliaThis paper seeks to analyse the adoption of Energy Efficiency Measures in non-residential buildings. Based on the concepts of agency theory and absorptive capacity, the propensity of Micro-, Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises in Portugal to adopt energy efficiency in lighting, insulation, and the replacement and operation of heating, was evaluated. To achieve this, an online survey was carried out, and the resultant data was treated using Probit models. The main findings suggest that absorptive capacity factors are a key reason for adopting more efficient and profitable technologies. Policymakers should provide assistance and information to the managers of these enterprises regarding the benefits of energy efficiency measures. Additionally, this paper shows that subsidiary enterprises are more likely to adopt energy efficiency measures. Although subsidiaries suffer pressures due to agency theory factors, they may also benefit from knowledge transfers from their parent enterprises. Most of the decisions and barriers considered by enterprises are not based on audits or the advice of energy management professionals, since more than 65% of the respondents have never performed an energy audit, and over 82% do not have an energy manager.
- The substitution of fossil fuels in the US transportation energy mix: Are emissions decoupling from economic growth?Publication . Neves, Sónia Almeida; Marques, António CardosoEnvironmental protection should be a primary factor in the evolution of the dominant transportation energy paradigm. This paper takes a fresh approach to this issue by analysing the relationship between conventional and alternative energy sources in transportation, economic growth and emissions. This is a previously unexplored topic in literature, particularly in the United States of America (US), which is analysed in detail here. The paper makes a further contribution to the field by an analysis, based on Tapio indicator, of decoupling between eco-nomic growth and CO2 emissions resulting from both overall energy consumption and energy consumption by the transportation. Empirically, this paper applies an Autoregressive Distributed Lag model by using monthly data from January 2007 to September 2018. A Decoupling Indicator was calculated by using yearly data from 2006 to 2018. Main findings suggest that alternative energy sources have not yet reducing the dependence of the transportation sector on fossil fuels. Additionally, although the use of renewable fuels by transportation reduces CO2 emissions, it also hampers economic growth, while economic growth has a negative effect on emissions. This finding is further supported by the decoupling statuses found. I Improvements in energy efficiency appear to have been effective for environmental protection.
- Ordinary and Special Regimes of electricity generation in Spain: How they interact with economic activityPublication . Marques, António Cardoso; Fuinhas, José Alberto; Neves, Sónia AlmeidaThe purpose of this paper is to review the literature focused on the energy/electricity-growth nexus, highlighting how the focus has shifted from aggregated energy/electricity consumption towards specific energy sources. Moreover, it aims to shed light on the relationships between different energy/electricity sources and economic growth. Empirically, the paper focuses on the analysis of interactions between electricity generation in Spain under both the Special Regime (SR) and the Ordinary Regime (OR), and their relationship with economic activity. Data for Spain is studied for a time span from January 2003 to January 2016. The Toda-Yamamoto causality test is carried out to check for causality relationships. Additionally, both short- and long-run effects are assessed by using the ARDL bounds test approach. Overall, the results reveal high internal consistency when comparing the ARDL results with the causality analysis. The substitution effect was detected between OR and SR. However, the negative effect of the SR on economic activity deserves special attention by energy policymakers.This paper argues that the main challenge of renewable sources for policymakers is their cost-effectiveness.
- Are electricity ordinary and special regimes driving economic activity?Publication . Neves, Sónia Cristina Almeida; Marques, António Manuel CardosoThis study focuses on the analysis of interactions between electricity generation sources under both the Special Regime and the Ordinary Regime in Spain, and their relationships with economic activity. The time span comprises data from January 2003 to September 2014. The Toda-Yamamoto causality test is carried out to check causality relationships. Both short- and long-run effects are assessed, by using the ARDL bounds test approach. Overall, the results reveal strong internal consistency when comparing the ARDL results with the causality analysis. On the one hand, a unidirectional causality running from the ordinary regime to the special regime was found. On the other hand, with respect to the ordinary regime there is empirical evidence for the energy-growth hypothesis. In the meantime, the special regime contributes to hampering economic growth in Spain.
- Essays on the economics of the energy mix diversification in the Transport SectorPublication . Neves, Sónia Almeida; Marques, António Manuel Cardoso; Fuinhas, José Alberto Serra Ferreira RodriguesThe analysis of the consequences of the diversification of the Transport Sector energy mix is the main focus of this thesis. As a sector highly powered by fossil fuels, the promotion of alternative energy sources such as electricity and renewable fuels has to be pursued to reduce the use of oil, and consequently cut greenhouse gases emissions. However, currently, the alternative sources are faced with several challenges. To address some of these challenges, this thesis performs four analyses organized into three main parts. In the first one, the interactions between both conventional and alternative transports’ energy sources, economic growth and carbon dioxide emissions have been examined. Two essays have been carried out in the first part, to achieve these objectives. The recent methods of Panel-Vector Autoregressive and the Autoregressive Distributed lag models have been applied. The main findings suggest that the electricity use in the transport sector only contributes to reducing GHG emissions if this electricity is coming from renewable sources. At the same time, the alternative energy sources could compromise the economic growth highlighting that their cost-effectiveness must be enlarged. With adequate policy supporting, the penetration of the electricity in transport sector could have a great potential in, for instance, storing renewable electricity, improving renewable electricity utilisation. For that, the deployment of electricity on the road transportation is required. These evidences have definitively motivated the second and third main parts of this thesis. They are focused on the main challenges that the electric mobility on road transportation is faced: the penetration of electric vehicles in the automotive market and the impact of these vehicles on the electricity system management and renewables integration. Thus, the second part of this thesis aims to analyse the driving factors of electric vehicles adoption. This analysis goes further by distinguishing the adoption drivers of 100% electric vehicles, also known as battery electric vehicles, and plug-in electric vehicles. The factors analysed include: political, social, economic, environmental, and technical. A Panel-Corrected Standard Errors (PCSE) estimator is used for European Union countries and the robustness of the results has been confirmed by employing a Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) method. Actually, the main challenge for both 100% electric vehicles and plug-in electric vehicles adoption is the technological progress of the batteries. Furthermore, this analysis highlights that the policymaking should be focused on each type of vehicle technology instead of electric vehicles as a whole. In line with the findings of the first part of this thesis, countries with high endogenous potential should promote more 100% electric vehicles than plug-in electric vehicles to take advantage of the renewable electricity. While countries with low renewable potential should promote more plug-in electric vehicles. The policies supporting electric mobility have been effective in the 100% electric vehicles market share enlargement, but not for plug-in electric vehicles. With an appropriated policy support and technological development, the 100% electric vehicles could contribute to increasing the efficiency of the electricity system and renewables integration. These evidences constitute the main motivation for the third part of this thesis. Therefore, the main objective of the third part is to analyse the drivers of both peak electricity demand and renewables integration, providing special attention to the role played by battery electric vehicles to this equilibrium. Both Panel-Corrected Standard Errors and Driscoll-Kraay estimators have been applied for European Union countries. Different models’ specifications have been used to confirm the robustness of the results found. This part highlights that the deployment of the 100% electric vehicles has led to a decrease of the peak electricity demand, which is indeed a desirable effect. Still, it should deserve further attention since the deployment of the large amounts of battery electric vehicles could modify this effect. At the same time, the 100% electric vehicles have not contributed to renewables integration. The policies focused on demand side management have been effective in integrating renewables in contrast to their lack of success in reducing peak electricity demand. The policymakers should design demand side management efficient policies to reduce the peak load demand. The promotion of Demand Response measures, such as differentiated electricity tariffs in peak periods and out-off peak periods could be an efficient way to achieve it.
- Two-stage DEA model to evaluate technical efficiency on deployment of battery electric vehicles in the EU countriesPublication . Neves, Sónia Almeida; Marques, António Cardoso; Moutinho, VitorThe transportation sector represents an important barrier to decarbonising economies. The in- troduction of electric vehicles seems to be a promising solution; however, the intensive use of such vehicles remains a challenge for economies. By using the two-stage Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method, this paper aims to provide useful insights to enlarge Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) market share. In the first stage, it calculates the efficiency scores for 20 European countries for both BEV adoption and policies supporting electric mobility, considering an output- oriented DEA method with constant returns to scale, and using annual data from 2010 to 2018. It is a non-parametric method, which makes it possible to determine the technical efficiency of the countries under study, i.e., the ability of these countries to transform their inputs into outputs. It calculates the efficiency frontier and determines if the countries are (or not) on this frontier. In the second stage, it examines the role of some determinants of electric mobility using the effi- ciency scores previously calculated by applying a fractional regression model. The main findings show that few countries are performing on the efficiency frontier. Additionally, renewable electricity generation increases a countries’ DEA score and contributes to bringing the inefficient countries closer to the efficiency frontier. Contrary, the existence of peak periods of electricity consumption decreases the DEA score and moves the inefficient countries further away from the frontier. This paper highlights the need to design transport and electricity policies jointly in order to ensure that the intensive use of BEV contributes towards renewables accommodation.
- Drivers and barriers in the transition from a linear economy to a circular economyPublication . Neves, Sónia Almeida; Cardoso Marques, AntónioA paradigm shift from a linear economy to a circular economy is crucial to reduce pressure on the environment and to improve the security of supply of primary raw materials. Under this new paradigm, governed by the imperatives of “reduce, reuse, and recycle”, the extraction of primary resources is minimised by extending the useful life of existing resources and materials. This paper seeks to identify the drivers and barriers of this circularisation and provide guidance for effective policies to hasten the transition to it. The innovative contribution made by this paper to this area of research is the empirical evidence it provides on the role played by economic, social, and environmental factors in the transition to a circular economy. To achieve this, yearly data from 2010 to 2019, for a panel of 19 European Union countries were analysed employing a Panel-Corrected Standard Errors estimator, which was shown to be an appropriate estimator for the data's characteristics. The circular material use rate was used as a proxy for the circular economy. The main findings suggest that the age distribution of a country is a significant predictor of a circular economy. Older people tend to be reluctant to change their behaviour, while young people are more inclined to move away from the so-called ‘take-make-waste’ extractive industrial model. Policies directed to older people to sensibilize them on the benefits and importance of a circular economy are thus required. When per capita income increases, the propensity to accept products containing recycled materials decreases. This finding merits the particular attention of policymakers. In turn, income inequality makes moving toward a circular economy more difficult. Those in the middle-income bracket are more likely to exhibit green behaviour, which implies that they are more aware of environmental issues.