1,188 research outputs found
Going beyond instrument interactions: towards a more comprehensive policy mix conceptualization for environmental technological change
Reaching a better understanding of the policies and politics of transitions presents a main agenda item in the emerging field of sustainability transitions. One important requirement for these transitions, such as the move towards a decarbonized energy system, is the redirection and acceleration of technological change, for which policies play a key role. Several studies of policies supporting environmental technological change have argued for the need to combine different policy instruments in so-called policy mixes. However, existing policy mix studies often fall short of reflecting the complexity and dynamics of actual policy mixes and the underlying politics of (re)designing them. In this
paper we take a first step towards a more comprehensive, interdisciplinary policy mix concept for environmental technological change based on a review of the bodies of literature on innovation studies, environmental economics and policy analysis. The concept introduces a clear terminology and consists of the three building blocks elements, processes and characteristics, which can be delineated by several dimensions. Throughout the
paper, we illustrate the concept using the example of the policy mix for fostering the transition of the German energy system to renewable power generation technologies.
We argue that the proposed concept provides an integrating analytical framework for empirical studies analyzing the impact of the policy mix on environmental technological change and sustainability transitions more broadly. Finally, we derive policy implications and suggest avenues for future research
Cross-country comparison of the replacement incentives of the EU ETS in 2008-12: the case of the power sector
In this paper, we conduct a cross-country quantitative analysis of the replacement incentives generated by the EU ETS for the power sector in 2008-12. In order to do so, the allocation rules of the Member States are applied to concrete reference power plants for three different fuel types (lignite, hard coal and gas). Based on these calculations, we compare installation-specific replacement in-centives across the Member States. Our analysis shows that replacement incentives vary significantly across Member States and typically deviate from the incentives provided in the reference case of full auctioning. Furthermore, the EU ETS allocation rules lead to perverse incentives in approximately 30% of the possible replacement options. Only 5 MS do not provide any perverse incentives. Finally, we explore the link between replacement incentives and allocation types. Based on our findings, we derive policy recommendations for the design of emission trading schemes emerging around the world. --EU emission trading scheme (EU ETS),replacement,adoption,diffusion,power sector,allocation rules
Charge Pumping Through a Single Donor Atom
Presented in this paper is a proof-of-concept for a new approach to single
electron pumping based on a Single Atom Transistor (SAT). By charge pumping
electrons through an isolated dopant atom in silicon, precise currents of up to
160 pA at 1 GHz are generated, even if operating at 4.2 K, with no magnetic
field applied, and only when one barrier is addressed by sinusoidal voltage
cycles.Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures, few changes in the text and in figure 8, New J.
Phys. (2014) at pres
Linear and planar molecules formed by coupled P donors in silicon
Using the effective mass theory and the multi-valley envelope function
representation, we have developed a theoretical framework for computing the
single-electron electronic structure of several phosphorus donors interacting
in an arbitrary geometrical configuration in silicon taking into account the
valley-orbit coupling. The methodology is applied to three coupled phosphorus
donors, arranged in a linear chain and in a triangle, and to six donors
arranged in a regular hexagon. The results of the simulations evidence that the
valley composition of the single-electron states strongly depends on the
geometry of the dopant molecule and its orientation relative to the
crystallographic axes of silicon. The electron binding energy of the triatomic
linear molecules is larger than that of the diatomic molecule oriented along
the same crystallographic axis, but the energy gap between the ground state and
the first excited state is not significantly different for internuclear
distances from 1.5 to 6.6 nm. Three donor atoms arranged in a triangle geometry
have larger binding energies than a triatomic linear chain of dopants with the
same internuclear distances. The planar donor molecules are characterized by a
strong polarization in favor of the valleys oriented perpendicular to the plane
of the molecule. The polarization increases with number of atoms forming the
planar molecule
The impact of the EU ETS on the sectoral innovation system for power generation technologies: findings for Germany
This paper provides an overview of early changes in the sectoral innovation system for power generation technologies which have been triggered by the European Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS). Based on a broad definition of the sector, our research analyses the impact of the EU ETS on the four building blocks knowledge and technologies, actors and networks, institutions and demand by combining two streams of literature, namely systems of innovation and environmental economics. Our analysis is based on 42 exploratory inter-views with German and European experts in the field of the EU ETS, the power sector and technological innovation. We find that the EU ETS mainly affects the rate and direction of the technological change of power generation technologies within the large-scale, coal-based power generation technological regime to which carbon capture technologies are added as a new technological trajectory. While this impact can be interpreted as defensive behaviour of incumbents, the observed changes should not be underestimated. We argue that the EU ETS' impact on corporate CO2 culture and routines may prepare the ground for the transition to a low carbon sectoral innovation system for power generation tech-nologies. --EU emission trading scheme (EU ETS),innovation system,power sector
Correlation between molecular orbitals and doping dependence of the electrical conductivity in electron-doped Metal-Phthalocyanine compounds
We have performed a comparative study of the electronic properties of six
different electron-doped metal phthalocyanine (MPc) compounds (ZnPc, CuPc,
NiPc, CoPc, FePc, and MnPc), in which the electron density is controlled by
means of potassium intercalation. In spite of the complexity of these systems,
we find that the nature of the underlying molecular orbitals produce observable
effects in the doping dependence of the electrical conductivity of the
materials. For all the MPc's in which the added electrons are expected to
occupy orbitals centered on the ligands (ZnPc, CuPc, and NiPc), the doping
dependence of the conductivity has an essentially identical shape. This shape
is different from that observed in MPc materials in which electrons are also
added to orbitals centered on the metal atom (CoPc, FePc, and MnPc). The
observed relation between the macroscopic electronic properties of the MPc
compounds and the properties of the molecular orbitals of the constituent
molecules, clearly indicates the richness of the alkali-doped
metal-phthalocyanines as a model class of compounds for the investigation of
the electronic properties of molecular systems
Incentives for energy efficiency in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme
This paper explores the incentives for energy efficiency induced by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) for installations in the energy and industry sectors. Our analysis of the National Allocation Plans for 27 EU Member States for phase 2 of the EU ETS (2008-2012) suggests that the price and cost effects for improvements in carbon and energy efficiency in the energy and industry sectors will be stronger than in phase 1 (2005-2007), but only because the European Commission has substantially reduced the number of allowances to be allocated by the Member States. To the extent that companies from these sectors (notably power producers) pass through the extra costs for carbon, higher prices for allowances translate into stronger incentives for demand- side energy efficiency. With the cuts in allocation to energy and industry sectors these will be forced to greater reductions, thus the non-ET sectors like household, tertiary and transport will have to reduce less, which is more in line with the cost-efficient share of emission reductions. The findings also imply that domestic efficiency improvements in the energy and industry sectors may remain limited since companies can make substantial use of credits from the Kyoto Mechanisms. The analysis of the rules for existing installations, new projects and closures suggests that incentives for energy efficiency are higher in phase 2 than in phase 1 because of the increased application of benchmarking to new and existing installations and because a lower share of allowances will be allocated for free. Nevertheless, there is still ample scope to further improve the EU ETS so that the full potential for energy efficiency can be realized. --Climate policy,emission trading,energy efficiency,innovation
Enhanced tunneling across nanometer-scale metal-semiconductor interfaces
We have measured electrical transport across epitaxial, nanometer-sized
metal-semiconductor interfaces by contacting CoSi2-islands grown on Si(111)
with an STM-tip. The conductance per unit area was found to increase with
decreasing diode area. Indeed, the zero-bias conductance was found to be about
10^4 times larger than expected from downscaling a conventional diode. These
observations are explained by a model, which predicts a narrower barrier for
small diodes and therefore a greatly increased contribution of tunneling to the
electrical transport.Comment: 3 pages, 2 EPS-figures; accepted for publication in Appl. Phys. Let
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