Renewable energy pioneers are threatened by EU policy reform

Hills, Jeremy M. and Michalena, Evanthie (2017) Renewable energy pioneers are threatened by EU policy reform. Renewable Energy, 108 . pp. 26-36. ISSN 0960-1481

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Abstract

The European Commission is reforming renewable energy (RE) policy to promote European competitiveness
and RE penetration but also to phase-out financial subsidies for mature RE technologies.
Optimising policy can be framed in the balance of Market Pull (MP) and Policy Push (PP) factors. The role
of this paper is to determine the diversity of perceptions of energy actors, how that diversity relates to
the balance of MP and PP and how this is likely to influence the ongoing policy reform process. A European
survey was implemented and a total of 108 responses were received. A majority of actors (>75%)
thought that there was a need for new EU RE policy. Four robust clusters of actors were identified.
Further analysis demonstrated that the balance of MP and PP factors were not important in distinguishing
between these clusters. The analysis concluded that levels of market intervention are the
primary axis of difference according to energy actors’ opinions. These results have consequences for
intended policy shifts in the EU RE sector, as the reduction of market intervention could mean that some
of the “RE pioneers” may leave the sector which would impact on further RE penetration and EU
competitiveness.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences K Law > K Law (General)
Divisions:	Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment (FSTE) > Institute of Marine Resources
Depositing User:	Fulori Nainoca - Waqairagata
Date Deposited:	15 Jun 2017 02:18
Last Modified:	15 Jun 2017 02:18
URI:	https://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/9964

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