The political drivers of renewable energies policies

• Published in: Energy economics Vol. 56; pp. 261 - 269
• Main Authors: Cadoret, Isabelle, Padovano, Fabio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 01.05.2016; Elsevier Science Ltd; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alternative energy sources; Business administration; Data analysis; Data processing; Economics and Finance; Energy consumption; Energy economics; Energy policy; Humanities and Social Sciences; Left wing politics; Lobbying; Manufacturers; Manufacturing; Manufacturing industry; Panel data; Political factors; Political ideology; Political parties; Power; Quality of government; Renewable energy; Renewable energy sources; Studies; Europe; D73; Renewable energy sources; Quality of government; D78; Q28; H54; H87; Political ideology; Lobbying; Energy policy; D72; quality of government; renewable energy sources; political ideology; energy policy; lobbying
• ISSN: 0140-9883; 1873-6181
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2016.03.003

This paper empirically analyzes how political factors affect the deployment of renewable energy (RE) sources and compares their explanatory power to that of other economic, energy and environmental drivers that have received greater attention in the literature so far. The sample encompasses the EU countries bound to attain the target of 20% share of gross final energy consumption by 2020. The panel data analysis shows that lobbying by the manufacturing industry negatively affects RE deployment, whereas standard measures of government quality show a positive effect; furthermore, left-wing parties promote the deployment of RE more than right-wing parties. •First empirical analysis of how political factors affect renewable energy deployment.•Lobbying by the manufacturing industry negatively affect RE deployment.•Better governance quality increase RE deployment.•Left-wing parties promote deployment of RE more than right-wing ones.•Political factors are a quantitatively important driver of RE deployment.