Potenziale zur Erhöhung des regionalen Markenkerns im Stromvertrieb am Beispiel der regionalen Grünstromkennzeichnung gemäß EEG 2017

The regional green power labeling according to the EEG 2017 represents an extension of the possibilities for labeling green electricity. In this paper we investigate the extent to which the implementation of regional green power products using the green power labeling regime under the EEG 2017 can help to strengthen the regional brand core of German power marketers, and which is the best alternative for raising the regional brand core of these firms. To this end, the different options for green power marketing with regional reference are discussed in detail, and it is elaborated which additional marketing models are enabled through the regional green power labeling. Furthermore, the criteria are identified with which the various green power labeling models with regional reference—with respect to their potential to raise the regional brand core—ought to be compared with each other. The results from our analysis show that the regional green power labeling based on EEG 2017 can be used to systematically upgrade the options for the marketing of regionally generated electricity already in place before the EEG 2017 entered into force.     

Analysis of Environmental Efficiency Variation

In this article, we develop and implement a methodology for analyzing the sources of variation in environmental efficiency across producers. We formulate a two–stage model. In the first stage, we use stochastic frontier analysis to estimate both technical and environmental efficiency. In the second stage, we again use stochastic frontier analysis to regress estimated environmental efficiency scores against a variety of technology, physical environment, and management variables. In this stage we estimate the impact of each explanatory variable on environmental efficiency, and we derive conditional estimates of environmental efficiency from the one–sided error component. We illustrate our methodology with an empirical application to a panel of Dutch dairy farms. We find evidence of relatively low levels of environmental efficiency, and we find that environmental efficiency can be improved through a number of policy options, including the provision of farmers with more insight into the nutrient balance of their farms.     

Macroeconomic impacts of European union membership of central and eastern European economies

This paper examines the impact of an eastern enlargement of the European Union. This is modeled as an increase in total factor productivity and a decrease in the risk premium for the central and eastern European countries (CEECs). In particular, a multicountry model of the world economy is used to assess the direct effects and spillovers of these changes. Inflation targeting for the euro zone by the European Central Bank and alternative scenarios with respect to fiscal policy behavior in the CEECs are considered. According to these simulations, productivity effects are stronger than risk premium effects, and spillovers are small.     

Diffusion der Biogastechnologie in der Schweiz: eine GIS-basierte Multiagenten-Simulation

In this article we introduce a GIS-based multi-agent simulation model. It is used to study the spatial diffusion dynamics of agricultural biogas plants in Switzerland, which lags markedly behind those in the neighboring countries Austria and Germany. The investigation concentrates in particular on the impacts of economic factors and of locally available resources on the diffusion process. The model considers three different types of plants (100 kW_el, 200 kW_el, 1 MW_el). The results show that feed-in tariffs, cosubstrate prices and the revenues from heat sales are critical parameters. They indicate further that the present promotion policy fosters smaller plants, whereas larger plants are preferred only in few areas with high substrate densities. Finally, we find evidence that increased heat sales can significantly raise diffusion dynamics, and that the higher feed-in tariffs planned in Switzerland could actually overcompensate deteriorating cosubstrate prices.     

SLOPOL1: A macroeconomic model for Slovenia

This paper presents the specification and estimation of SLOPOL1 (Slovenian Economic Policy Model, Version 1), a macroeconometric model for Slovenia. Since Slovenia became an independent state in 1991, the available time series are very short and unreliable. In order to increase the degrees of freedom, quarterly data are used. The model contains behavioral equations for factor demand, potential gross domestic product, imports, the wage-price system, private consumption and labor supply of households, money and foreign exchange markets, and the public sector. Due to data constraints, the supply side and household consumption have not been further disaggregated. The capability of the model to reproduce the behavior of the endogenous variables in an ex post simulation can be regarded as satisfactory.Work on this model was initiated within the framework of the contract entitled "Austrian-Slovenian Cooperation for an Integrated Energy Program: Development and Implementation of a Macroeconomic Model" between the Slovenian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Verbundplan and financed by the Austrian Federal Chancellery. Later research has been supported by the Austrian Science Foundation under contract P12745-OEK and by the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Economic Analysis. Earlier versions of this paper were presented at the Forty-Seventh International Atlantic Economic Conference, March 16–23, 1999, Vienna, Austria, and the Forty-Ninth International Atlantic Economic Conference, March 14–21, 2000, Munich, Germany. The authors are indebted to the participants in these discussions and to Tanja Cesen and Igor Strmsnik for providing data.