Publication
Title
The effectiveness of carbon pricing : the role of diversification in a firm's investment decision?
Author
Abstract
It is often argued that compared to a carbon tax, a volatile carbon price under an emissions trading system poses a problem in the transition towards a low carbon economy. However, this paper shows that, when sufficiently positively correlated with the electricity price, carbon price uncertainty diminishes overall volatility because of a diversification effect. To get this result, we develop a dynamic real options model to analyze the impact of positively correlated price uncertainty on the timing of an investment decision. In contrast to static models, we show that even when the carbon price is initially the same under both policy instruments, the timing of the investment decision will typically be different. More importantly, we find that multiple correlated price uncertainties under an emissions trading system encourages investment more than less uncertainty under a carbon tax. Hence, to stimulate a low carbon (or discourage a carbon intensive) investment, an emissions trading system (carbon tax) is preferred. The policy reverts for higher levels of uncertainty and low correlations.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Energy economics. - Guildford, 1979, currens
Publication
Guildford : 2022
ISSN
0140-9883 [print]
1873-6181 [online]
DOI
10.1016/J.ENECO.2022.106115
Volume/pages
112 (2022) , p. 1-10
Article Reference
106115
ISI
000827384800013
Medium
E-only publicatie
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
Cooperative real options games in environmental economics.
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 23.08.2022
Last edited 24.06.2023
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