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The aim of this paper is to investigate how green certificates markets have developed in the European Union, with a view to producing consistent recommendations that could be used in future environmental strategies and policies to improve existing schemes for renewable energy promotion and support.

The study was conducted by combining a wide variety of sources, such as regulations, position papers, road‐maps, as well as articles and research reports. European experiences in using green certificates to support renewable energies were compared from the point‐of‐view of the legislative framework and national support systems.

The findings reveal that improvements in three major areas (legislative framework, national support systems, and cost reduction) are needed in order to achieve a better support for renewable energy generation.

The conclusions justify the effort invested in developing green certificates markets and are relevant for policy makers in a very sensitive sector to accomplish sustainability goals – the use of renewable energy. The study may represent a starting‐point for further research into renewable energy support systems, environmental issues and economic implications.

The paper provides a rational and comparative approach for finding solutions to the problems of green certificates markets in the European Union. The methodology and the results reported in this research could be used for exploring green certificates markets opportunities in other European countries.

This study aims to examine the influence of various factors on the customers’ purchase intention of renewable energy in Jordan. The hypotheses and model of the study were adopted from previous studies.

The present study was undertaken based on an online survey of 428 Jordanians who are nonusers of renewable energy. The sample was selected using a stratified random sampling method using a structured questionnaire method. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.

The results indicated that attitudes, subjective norms (social influence), perceived price, knowledge and perceived behavioral control significantly affect the purchase intention of Jordanian customers to adopt renewable energy. Moreover, the study confirms that there are statistically significant differences between demographic variables such as age, income and education about renewable energy purchasing intentions, whereas gender was not significant.

Some limitations have been identified. First, the generalizability of the findings is one of the common limitations of scientific research, and this study is not an exception. In this regard, the current study has been carried out in the south of Jordan. Therefore, to expand the validity of the findings, future studies need to be attempted in other places in Jordan. Second, the existing study focused on solar panel systems as a form of renewable energy. Future studies could focus on other kinds of renewable energy, such as wind energy. Third, although the sample size of this study was appropriate and sufficient, future studies could use larger samples to enhance the robustness of the results.

The findings of the current study could help practitioners in the renewable energy industry by identifying the key factors that motivate Jordanian customers to purchase and use such technology. They may use the findings of this study in the formulation of marketing policies and the development of marketing strategies to attract more customers to purchase and use renewable energy appliances like solar panels.

This is one of the few studies in the energy industry of Jordan devoted to developing and testing a model of determinants of purchasing intentions for solar panel systems that focuses on renewable energy purchasing behavior. Further, this study used demographic variables as control variables, which makes the study different from other studies by investigating the role of demographic characteristics in the context of the purchase intention for solar panel systems.

The purpose of this paper is to quantify the possible interactions among the three European objectives in the horizon of 2020: the reduction of 20 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG); the saving of 20 per cent of the European energy consumption; and a share of 20 per cent of renewable energies in the overall energy consumption. Particular focus is, however, placed on the influence of the CO₂ emission reduction targets and on their consequences on the carbon price in 2020.

In order to explore the interactions among the three European objectives and their induced effects, a number of scenarios are tested within a combination of two modeling tools: the POLES world energy model and ASPEN, an auxiliary model dedicated to the analysis of quota trading systems. With reasonable assumptions for the burden sharing among the member states, the energy efficiency objectives and the renewable energy targets are achieved using national quota systems in each European country (white and green certificate systems and their implicit prices), while the CO₂ emission reduction is carried out within the European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in line with the objective of 20 per cent emission reduction.

The paper shows, in particular, that the two quota policies (white certificates and green certificates) decrease significantly the European marginal emission reduction cost and consequently, the compliance costs for ETS participants. The high‐renewable target compliance cost could be reduced significantly if carbon price signal and energy saving policies are in place. The paper also shows that the sole carbon price signal has a limited influence for stimulating renewable energies and energy savings and thus concludes on the need for specific policies targeting these two areas.

This paper is a first attempt to comprehensively deal with the economic fundamentals of the 3D regulatory system proposed by the Commission for Energy and Climate and is of value in proposing a comprehensive approach of the economics of the “20/20/20” European policy.

This paper aims to show preliminary evidence of the link between the perceived low vulnerability of vital energy systems (LVRE) and social acceptance of renewable energy (SARE) while treating environmental opportunities and threats (EOPT), renewable energy technological innovations (TECH) and business model innovations as possible antecedents.

The objectives are delivered through a survey of 199 households (potential and actual customers/suppliers of electric power and renewable energy gadgets in Kampala and Wakiso districts of Uganda), and the data obtained were analysed using ordinary least squares (OLS) regression.

Both LVRE and EOPT, on their own, significantly predict SARE. TECH significantly mediate in the relation between EOPT and SARE. The highest form of SARE is market acceptance. Also, the current state of vulnerability of vital energy systems in the two Ugandan districts seems to espouse energy security as the real value of renewable energy. The study further finds that to deliver high SARE, there is a need to encompass potential user performance expectations of renewable energy technologies.

Because the current results are from only two cities (districts) of Uganda and also based on a non-probability sample, generalizing them can be considered remote. In other words, it appears that more complex models need developing and testing in the future concerning LVRE and SARE. The present preliminary results are offered as a stimulus to such efforts. Well, it is expected, and, consistent with the diffusion of innovations theory (Rogers, 1995), that the population in Kampala and Wakiso districts are potential change agents (i.e. capable of influencing others in rural areas of Uganda).

The study estimates the direct and indirect effects to show how strongly TECH operate. Basing on OLS regression coefficients, the indirect effects are larger. Using the medgraph, we find probably for the first time, the adoption of technological innovation explains a significant part of the link between EOPT and SARE in the current study setting.

This research seeks to investigate sources of renewable energy into the everyday operation of federally owned facilities. The goal is to present comparisons of existing US federal buildings and analyze the savings and methodologies for acceptance of each project for the use of building and project managers within the US federal government or other researchers interested in similar analysis.

Data were analyzed on several case studies where solar, wind, and geothermal sources of renewable energy have already been integrated in federally owned facilities. The analysis focused on cost due to available data and resources, and its scope was to estimate the potential for success or failure and possible outcomes.

Current case studies of solar, wind, and geothermal projects within the US federal government suggest that cost savings are not the sole reason for adopting such technologies. Projects move forward based on additional motivations such as reduced environmental impact, government policy, and in an effort to increase leadership, awareness, and image.

A larger number of case studies are needed to infer trends in federal renewable energy projects. The methodology is aimed at an objective comparison of electricity costs between buildings; however, as the findings demonstrate, the quantitative normalized ratio implemented needs other soft considerations to fully represent renewable energy scenarios in US federal buildings.

Key decisions that must be made in order to get a renewable energy‐building project completed may be facilitated by using the paper and its implications of the need for soft factors to become part of the analysis.

The analysis presented here includes five stages or key decisions that must be made to get a renewable energy project in US federal facilities to award, including criteria beyond economics. Findings support the need for inclusion of soft factors, along with economic considerations for project success.

This conceptual paper articulates an analytical framework, which collectively borrows from the concepts of Sectoral, National and Technological Innovation Systems, for examining the prospects for the emergence of renewable energy industries in a given country. In order to examine the dynamics within the national energy system under consideration, a list of system functions has also been compiled from the literature. It is believed that the adoption of such a functions approach has the potential to enhance our understanding of the process of, and drivers behind, the emergence and transformation of energy innovation systems. Towards the end of this paper, other theoretical concepts are acknowledged as also relevant for investigating the potential establishment of renewable energy industries. While every theoretical approach has its strengths and weaknesses, an effort has been made in this paper to justify the adoption of a suitable framework that is based on the systems of innovation approach.

This study is a targeted review of some of the major changes in European regulation that guided energy policy decisions in the Iberian Peninsula and how they may have aggravated the problem of lack of flexibility. This study aims to assess some of the proposed short-term solutions to address this issue considering the underlying root causes and suggests a different course of action, that in turn, could help alleviate future market strains.

The evolution of the most important (macro) energy and price-related variables in both Portugal and Spain is assessed using market and grid operator data. In addition, the authors present critical viewpoints on some of the most recent EU and national regulation changes (official document analysis).

The Iberian energy policy and regulatory agenda has successfully promoted a rapid adoption of renewables (main goal), although with insufficient diversification of generation technologies. The compulsory closings of thermal plants and an increased tax (mainly carbon) added pressure toward more environmentally friendly thermal power plants. However, inevitably, this curbed the bidding price competitiveness of these producers in an already challenging market framework. Moving forward, decisions must be based on “a bigger picture” that does not neglect system flexibility and security of supply and understands the specificities of the Iberian market and its generation portfolio.

This work provides an original account of unprecedented spikes in energy prices in 2021, specifically in the Iberian electricity market. This acute situation worries consumers, industry and governments. Underlining the instability of the market prices, for the first time, this study discusses how some of the most important regulatory changes, and their perception and absorption by involved parties, contributed to the current environment. In addition, this study stresses that if flexibility is overlooked, the overall purpose of having an affordable and reliable system is at risk.

The purpose of this paper is to undertake comparative analysis examining the effect of renewable energy production on employment focusing on European and Asian Countries.

The study utilizes panel data from the period 2000 to 2018 and System Generalized Method of Moments (System GMM) for the analysis. This study focuses on 50 European and 40 Asian countries data used for the analysis.

The result of the study indicates that, renewal energy production has positively affected employment in both European and Asian countries. However, the positive effect result of European countries is stronger than that of Asian countries.

The study recommends that, governments among these countries should continue to show strong commitment towards investing in renewable energy production as stated in Paris Agreement (2015). This will have a strong effect towards increasing further employment creation among these countries.

Numerous empirical studies have been carried out examining the effect of renewable energy production on employment. This study contributes to existing empirical studies by undertaking comparative analysis to examine the subject matter focusing on European and Asian countries.

The purpose of this paper is to shed light to the concept of solar electricity transfer from North Africa to Europe in the frame of Article 9 of the European Renewable Energy Sources (EU-RES) Directive 28/2009/EC, to explain why efforts have not been successful up to now and to provide recommendations on how to proceed.

The authors have compared the “Supergrid” concept that was pursued by some institutions in the past years with the original “TRANS-CSP” concept developed by the German Aerospace Centre in 2006. From this analysis, the authors could identify not only major barriers but also possible ways towards successful implementation.

The authors found that in contrast to the Supergrid approach, the original concept of exporting dispatchable solar power from concentrating solar thermal power stations with thermal energy storage (CSP-TES) via point-to-point high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission directly to European centres of demand could be a resilient business case for Europe–North Africa cooperation, as it provides added value in both regions.

The analysis has been made in the frame of the BETTER project commissioned by the Executive Agency for Competitiveness & Innovation in the frame of the program Intelligent Energy Europe.

One of the major implications found is that due to the time lost in the past years by following a distracted concept, the option of flexible solar power imports from North Africa to Europe is not any more feasible to become part of the 2020 supply scheme.

To make them a viable option for post-2020 renewable energy systems for electricity development in Europe, a key recommendation of the project is to elaborate a detailed feasibility study about concrete CSP-HVDC links urgently.

The analysis presented here is the first to give concrete recommendations for the implementation of such infrastructure.

The chapter analyses the role of smart grid technology in the German energy transition. Information technologies promise to help integrate volatile renewable energies (wind and solar power) into the grid. Yet, the promise of intelligent infrastructures does not only extend to technological infrastructures, but also to market infrastructures. Smart grid technologies underpin and foster the design of a “smart” electricity market, where dispersed energy prosumers can adapt, in real time, to fluctuating price signals that register changes in electricity generation. This could neutralize fluctuations resulting from the increased share of renewables. To critically “think” the promise of smart infrastructure, it is not enough to just focus on digital devices. Rather, it becomes necessary to scrutinize economic assumptions about the “intelligence” of markets and the technopolitics of electricity market design. This chapter will first show the historical trajectory of the technopolitical promise of renewable energy as not only a more sustainable, but also a more democratic alternative to fossil and nuclear power, by looking at the affinities between market liberal and ecological critiques of centralized fossil and nuclear based energy systems. It will then elucidate the co-construction of smart grids and smart markets in the governmental plans for an “electricity market 2.0.” Finally, the chapter will show how smart grid and smart metering technology fosters new forms of economic agency like the domo oeconomicus. Such an economic formatting of smart grid technology, however, forecloses other ecologically prudent and politically progressive ways of constructing and engaging with intelligent infrastructures.