Application of fuzzy modelling in the research of the impacts of economic instruments connected with the internalization of negative externalities in the Czech Republic

The paper focuses on the methodology which was used in the Czech and foreign research papers and studies dealing with the impacts of economic instruments connected with the internalization of negative externalities. Precisely, the main target is to find such studies which are dealing with both the internalization of negative externalities and fuzzy modelling. Firstly, the paper presents different theories regarding the internalization of negative externalities. The second part presents the methodology: the author used the method of scientific database search, particularly in the following databases: Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar. The next part is focused on the results of the search. In the Czech Republic, analyses using various qualitative and quantitative methods were found; however, fuzzy modelling has not been used in the internalization of negative externalities yet. Regarding the foreign studies, there are studies dealing with both the internalization of negative externalities and fuzzy modelling. These studies are focused mainly on carbon or energy taxation and also on the CO2 emission trading scheme. Based on these findings, the discussion part of the paper includes also recommendations for the follow-up research

What can tax revenues tell us about the economic activity of regions?

The main goal of this paper is to provide an analysis of the relationships among selected indicators of economic activity of regions (GDP, unemployment) and regional tax revenues obtained from taxes imposed on economic activity (VAT, income taxation) in the Czech Republic, with a detailed analysis of VAT. Our methodology is based on correlation analysis (both the Pearson’s and the Spearman’s correlation coefficients) using data from the official statistics of the Czech Republic. The main idea of the paper is that regional tax revenues should give us a picture of the economic activity of companies, residents and entrepreneurs in these regions. Based on the results, we can say that there is a statistically significant positive relationship between regional VAT revenues and the value of regional GDP, and a statistically significant negative relationship between regional income taxes revenues and regional unemployment.Web of Science9112811

Ex-post analysis of the EU emission trading in year 2013 in the Czech Republic

The main goal of the paper is to provide the first ex-post analysis of the EU ETS in year 2013 in the Czech Republic, based on the analysis of the key EU ETS sector – combustion processes. Regarding the methodology, the empirical research was used as a one part, as a second part the Mamdani fuzzy rule-based system. Since the EUA market price was low in year 2013, the Czech companies within the combustion processes group had weak motivation to trade with the EUAs. However, the revenues obtained from the EUA auctions in year 2013 were higher than revenues obtained from the environmental taxes. Moreover, auctioned EUAs had the similar characteristics as the environmental taxes. We can say that the EUA behaved as an additional carbon tax – in case that the company exceeded the level of emission limit represented by free emission allowances. © 2015, Centre of Sociological Research. All Rights Reserved

Innovation ecosystem in selected regions of the Czech Republic and Poland: Specifics of infrastructure supporting innovative entrepreneurship

There are no official statistics in the Czech Republic and Poland mapping the number of start-ups, spin-offs, and organizations supporting innovative businesses. The paper defines the specifics of innovation ecosystem in selected regions of the CZ Moravian-Silesian Region and PL Silesian Voivodeship. Similar economic and socio-cultural developments characterize chosen regions. Hypotheses are defined whose statistical significance is evaluated through the Pearson Chi-Square test. The results are estimated separately for the Moravian-Silesian Region and Silesian Voivodeship and focus on identifying the ownership of organizations, the nature of services provided, and the average annual occupancy of clients in the business phase financing business support programs and possible cooperation between organization. Using the hierarchical cluster analysis with the Ward method, the authors described four clusters. Based on the results obtained from the solution, a general model of the innovation ecosystem supporting innovative entrepreneurship is defined.Web of Science301art. no. 155

Corporate Environmental Costs Connected with Legislative Compliance in the Czech Republic

This article focuses mainly on the environmental costs connected with legislative compliance in the Czech Republic, possibilities of their identification and observation in corporations and suggestions for cutting them down. First, we present an overview of theoretical concepts regarding determination of costs connected with environmental protection in companies and possible difficulties with identification of this kind of costs; however, there are various methods depending both on the authors' opinions and purposes of environmental cost identification in companies. Then, the article discusses particular inputs and outputs of companies and tries to identify possible environmental costs on both sides. Generally, both the simplest and cheapest way for the companies is to concentrate on such environmental costs that are connected with legislation in force; therefore, the Czech Republic's current environmental protection law is analyzed for this purpose. After that, the article focuses briefly on suggestions for possible corporate savings and environmental cost reduction, based on the legislation in force in the Czech Republic. Finally, the key element of this article is a case study based on the information obtained from a real company. The case study presents results of both identification and quantification of particular environmental costs connected with legislation in force in a small business in the Czech Republic in 2010.environmental legislation, environmental costs, Czech Republic, company, case study

Evaluation of the economic indicators of a company-prosumer using photovoltaics

The number of companies using photovoltaics for the purposes of self-production of electricity is increasing. Generally, we can observe a new category of economic subjects – prosumers, which are simultaneously consumers and producers of selected goods, in this case electricity. The main goal of this paper is to evaluate the economic parameters of the company-prosumer, focusing on a selected administrative building which consumes both electricity from the grid and self-produced electricity. The system is not equipped with a battery; therefore the entire amount of electricity produced is consumed within the company. Firstly, the policy background and a literature overview connected with the issue of prosumers will be presented. The methodological section will focus on data sources and parameters for the model of a companyprosumer and a description of economic indicators used in the evaluation. The technical and economic parameters of the case study will be described. The Results chapter will firstly show the possible relationships between the amount of electricity produced by the photovoltaic power plant and selected natural conditions of the locality. Subsequently, particular economic indicators for the selected company-prosumer will be presented, using two scenarios with different electricity price tariff regimes. Generally, the case study is focused on the photovoltaics installed on the roof of an administrative building located in Olomouc, Czech Republic. Based on the results from the developed company-prosumer model, we can say that the economic indicators of the particular photovoltaic projects, and simultaneously the payback period, are highly sensitive to the price of electricity purchased from the grid and to the particular purchase price tariffs

Comparison of CO2 Taxation in European Union Member States

The European Commission is going to discuss a revision of Directive 2003/96/ EC, restructuring the Community framework for the taxation of energy products and electricity. The first proposals include a new energy taxation system, where the current energy tax is divided into two components - an energy component and a CO2 component. This article first presents theoretical concepts regarding environmental and CO2 taxation; then it concentrates on current national systems of CO2 taxation in European Union Member States with a focus on the energy and transport sectors. After making an overview of CO2 taxation, the article focuses on a comparison of national systems of CO2 taxation and indicates similarities in the taxes in their application in both the energy and transport sectors. The authors deal with all taxes that have their current tax base based on CO2 emissions or have CO2 emissions as one part of their tax base. The analysis is provided for a period until the end of 2009. Finally, the results of the comparison of CO2 taxation are discussed. The article also includes a brief overview of existing ex-post analysis of CO2 taxation in the Nordic countries of the European Union.transport, taxation, European Union, energy, comparison, CO2 emissions

Impacts of emission trading system in EU28 countries

European Union Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS) was introduced in EU countries in the year 2005. Currently, the EU ETS is in operation for more than a decade; moreover, the European Commission adopted rules for the next 4th trading period in March 2018. The main goal of this article is to evaluate possible environmental impacts of EU ETS, mainly the impact of emission allowance price on the amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU28 countries as a whole. For this goal, (geo)visual analysis of spatial data, correlation and regression analysis are used. The results of the analysis show that the EU ETS contributes to the reduction of the amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU-28 countries as a whole, due to emission allowances price and period. Nevertheless, the influence of the way of emission allowances distribution is crucial for the desirable environmental impact. The extension of auctioning represents our key recommendation for the EU ETS

Public Support of Solar Electricity and its Impact on Households - Prosumers

Background and Purpose: Currently, the idea of households - prosumers is broadly discussed in public governments, mainly in connection with both the energy security issues and the environmental issues. Therefore, the main goal of this paper is to present new agent model of household - prosumer and to compare two scenarios – “off grid household” and “on grid household”. The additional goal is to evaluate the impact of public support of solar electricity on the economic efficiency of household – prosumer projects (systems)