The Paris Clime Agreement in 2015 and the subsequent European Deal have put considerable pressure on countries to quicken the pace of their renewable energy transition. To keep global warming under...Show moreThe Paris Clime Agreement in 2015 and the subsequent European Deal have put considerable pressure on countries to quicken the pace of their renewable energy transition. To keep global warming under 1,5 degrees Celcius and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 49% by 2030, the Dutch government published the national Climate Agreement in 2019. This document shifts the responsibility to draw up and implement a Regional Energy Strategy (RES) to 30 designated regions. However, the process of the RES has exposed issues of social injustices caused by the energy transition, leading to protests, social unrest a decline in public support for policies in local communities. This social dimension of energy justice in the energy transition tends to be overlooked by scholars and policymakers. By integrating the notion of multi-level governance with the concept of energy justice and its three core tenets - procedural, distributional and recognition justice - this thesis develops a novel conceptual framework to fill this gap and analyse energy justice in the energy transition in the Achterhoek region in the Netherlands. It explores the research question: How do various stakeholders at different levels of governance address energy justice in the case of the Achterhoek region in the Netherlands? It finds that energy justice measures are relatively integrated across each level of governance, with a predominant focus on (financial) participation measures. Moreover, it finds that the context in which energy justice is shaped is highly dynamic in which stakeholders interact and influence each other across levels of governance through extensive policy networks. Rather than a static phenomenon that can be analysed in isolated spheres of governance, the current thesis emphasises the highly dynamic and multi-level nature of energy justice.Show less
The literature on policy advisory systems and knowledge regimes has found that policymakers make use of evidence in national-specific ways, and that the administrative and institutional...Show moreThe literature on policy advisory systems and knowledge regimes has found that policymakers make use of evidence in national-specific ways, and that the administrative and institutional characteristics of countries influence this. These fields have however so far neglected to research whether different policy areas within one country also make different use of evidence. This study researches whether this is the case by comparing the policy areas of diversity policy and energy policy in the Netherlands with each other, and it analyses which types of evidence are used and how the character of the policy areas influences this. Four cases have been compared with each other; two cases that concern themselves with diversity policy and two cases that concern themselves with energy policy. Data was collected by conducting a citation analysis of letters to parliament, websites and other policy documents and by interviewing 11 policymakers. This study finds that the technical character of energy policy causes policymakers to make use of more complex and specialist evidence, and because of the substantial economic interests behind the energy transition, there are furthermore more evidence providers that play a role in the area of energy policy. Energy policy and diversity policy however also show great overlap with each other; they both attach great value to evidence that is provided by practitioners, because the policymakers working on both policy areas have a supporting and stimulating role.Show less
This thesis assesses whether the EU is as a market power shaping third countries' legislation and policies as asserted by "Market Power Europe", a theoretical framework, which has been...Show moreThis thesis assesses whether the EU is as a market power shaping third countries' legislation and policies as asserted by "Market Power Europe", a theoretical framework, which has been insufficiently explored in the literature so far. More concretely it is scrutinised if electricity market liberalisation and emissions trading acquis has been externalised to Switzerland and Ukraine. First, it is shown that there is market power potential in the field of energy, as the European regulatory order was increasingly strengthened since the mid-1990s and gave birth to two significant markets for electricity and carbon emissions trade. Second, it is demonstrated that even though acquis externalization occurred to a certain extent in both cases, four intervening variables filtered the EU's market power. Indeed, market interconnectedness, political culture, the nature of the political system and the level of institutionalization of the EU's relations with a third country need to be taken into account when assessing the EU's market power in a given third country. These findings are not only theoretically relevant, they also suggest that the EU should concentrate on the development of its Single Market and regulatory order as well as on solid institutional framework conditions to cement its power towards third countries and enlarge its global influence.Show less
It has become conventional wisdom under many scientists, official organisations and politicians that the diffusion of solar (and wind) power is becoming an essential and integral part in the...Show moreIt has become conventional wisdom under many scientists, official organisations and politicians that the diffusion of solar (and wind) power is becoming an essential and integral part in the mitigation of climate change and the resolution to the extremely elevated levels of GHG-emissions. As with any (relatively) new technology, the penetration of solar power heavily depends on the level of new investments in solar capacity and storage. This paper considers four main factors of influence on the level of investment in solar power in a specific country: technology and innovation, country-specific characteristics, economic developments and political (and cultural) institutions. This research paper focusses on the manner in which political institutions affect the level of investment in the deployment and infrastructure of solar power. The transaction cost approach on the study of potential investments analyses the possible costs involved in the transaction or investment. Two elements have been demonstrated to increase the costs that incur when engaging in a certain transaction: uncertainty and opportunistic behaviour, either from one of the contracting parties or from a third party, whose interests oppose that of the transaction. Institutions, particularly political and cultural institutions, have a significant effect on the success of a certain transaction. This effect is magnified when it concerns highly specific assets and when the products that result from the transaction (investment) are consumed widely. Investments in solar power are prone to both types of transaction costs. Stable regulatory frameworks, regulatory contracting, relational contracting and a moderate degree of political fragmentation and third-party influence increase the feasibility and credibility of policy regimes. In the early stage of solar power deployment a number of countries, including Italy and Germany, the protagonists of this research paper, have successfully introduced feed-in-tariff support schemes to ease uncertainty for investors and stimulate further investments in solar technology and capacity. However, unilateral opportunistic behaviour from the Italian government that introduced retrospective changes to existing regulation and contracts has demonstrated to significantly damage investors’ trust and the dynamics of solar power investments. In addition, entrenched practices of clientelism and corruption in Italy considerably abate the possibility of foreign investments, necessary to increase the penetration of solar power in Italy. The ‘Italian style’ of relational contracting between private investors and the public agent, appears to be a functional solution in avoiding transaction costs for tenders, concession contracts or public private partnerships. Illustrative for the German market, in order to mitigate the hazard of third-party opportunism, characteristic to parliamentary democracy (with elevated levels of scrutiny and room for opposition), a rapprochement to market mechanism appears to be a suitable option. In addition, enhanced transparency and a penetrative governmental communication strategy could provide for broader public support and incentivise future investments in solar power.Show less
The important role of Russia in satisfying European gas demand and the subsequent gas disruptions in 2006 and 2009 have scrutinized the role of Russia in developing a Common Energy Policy for the...Show moreThe important role of Russia in satisfying European gas demand and the subsequent gas disruptions in 2006 and 2009 have scrutinized the role of Russia in developing a Common Energy Policy for the EU. Those skeptical of Russian influence have emphasized the threats to the internal market and the security of supply in constructing new pipeline infrastructure for the trade of gas. This research determines that the perceived threats to the internal market and the security of supply are unjustified. In addition, pragmatic economic interests have incentivized actors to oppose Nord Stream and South Stream.Show less
