Firing the Furnace? - an Econometric Analysis of Utilities' Fuel Choice

26 Pages Posted: 4 Aug 2004

See all articles by Harald Tauchmann

Harald Tauchmann

Rhine-Westphalia Institute for Economic Research (RWI-Essen)

Date Written: 2004

Abstract

This paper attempts to predict the potential effects of CO2 emissions trading on fuel choice in the German electric power industry. By analyzing panel data (1968-1998) of major utilities, we show that the fuel mix of electric utilities is price inelastic. As a consequence, the implementation of a CO2 trading scheme will, if anything, only slightly induce interfuel substitution. Accordingly, low-carbon fuels will hardly replace lignite and hard coal through CO2 emissions trading, as long as abatement targets are not extremely ambitious.

However, one cannot rule out that fuel prices may become more important for the utilities' fuel mix as a result of deregulation in the German power sector.

Keywords: Fuel mix, high-carbon fuels, CO2 emissions trading

JEL Classification: Q42, Q53

Suggested Citation

Tauchmann, Harald, Firing the Furnace? - an Econometric Analysis of Utilities' Fuel Choice (2004). RWI: Discussion Paper No. 17, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=572401 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.572401

Harald Tauchmann (Contact Author)

Rhine-Westphalia Institute for Economic Research (RWI-Essen) ( email )

Hohenzollernstr. 1-3
45128 Essen
Germany