Call for Papers on Energy Efficiency Financing and Market-Based Instruments

Energy Efficiency Financing and Market-Based Instruments
The Energy Studies Institute, National University of Singapore (ESI) and the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI)
Singapore and Tokyo
March and May/June 2019

The Energy Studies Institute, National University of Singapore (ESI) and the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) jointly welcome papers featuring the policy design and effectiveness of financial and market-based instruments to promote energy efficiency financing. Financial and market-based instruments are important as they deliver a price signal, which provides an incentive for firms to invest in innovation or implement more energy-efficient technologies and deliver energy savings while minimising costs.

Financial instruments include all policies and measures that help to finance activities which improve energy efficiency. Market-based instruments create a market for energy efficiency improvements or energy savings directly through instruments such as energy efficiency obligations, voluntary agreements, and auction mechanisms.

We encourage enthusiastic researchers, policy experts, and business specialists to submit quantitative or qualitative research papers based on rigorous analysis. The evidence-based research may cover global, regional, and national topics of policy significance to energy efficiency financing and market-based instruments. Studies that focus on energy efficiency schemes designed and conducted by major jurisdictions will be favored.

Specific questions of interest include:

• How to better design voluntary agreements, obligations schemes, and auction mechanisms for energy efficiency, particularly sector coverage, eligibility for energy savings, pricing and payment, compliance periods and enforcement issues?
• How to monitor, verify, and evaluate the policy and cost effectiveness of financial and market-based instruments in driving energy efficiency?
• How can financial and market-based instruments for energy efficiency interact with other existing policies and regulations within a multiple policy environment, in particular, carbon tax or emissions trading schemes?
• To what extent can these instruments tackle financial and non-financial impediments faced by financial institutions and companies to unlock energy efficiency potential?
• What are the fiscal implications for society and government?
• How can energy efficiency compete against supply resources in an integrated energy system through innovative business models and demand response schemes?
• What market structure is needed to enable the development of the energy services company (ESCO) industry?

ESI and ADBI will invite selected authors to participate in the workshops to be held in Singapore and Tokyo in March and May/June 2019, respectively, to gain further insights to support policy decision-making and research programmes in this field.

Travel Grants

Selected participants will receive travel reimbursement for return economy airfare from the participant’s home country as well as accommodation for 2-3 nights in Singapore and/or Tokyo. Please indicate in your submission whether you need financial support.

Guidelines for Submissions

• Extended abstracts should be between 2,000-2,500 words. Developed papers should be between 10,000-15,000 words.
• Submissions should include a title, methodology, data, results, conclusions, and policy implications, and a brief biography of the author(s) including names, institutional affiliations, and email contacts.
• Submitted work will most likely be considered if it is fully readable and does not lack substantial sections.
• Please note that only previously unpublished papers or those not already committed elsewhere will be considered.
• Extended abstracts will be distributed among co-authors and an editorial team for comments and feedback during the workshops.
• The use of graphs and tables in the submissions are recommended.
• All submissions accepted for presentation will be published by ESI/ADBI in a set of proceedings or working paper series. In addition, the organizers plan to publish a journal special issue or book with selected papers. By participating in the workshop, you agree to participate in the future publication plans (special issue/book chapters) of the organizers.
• Please submit your paper to [email protected]. Please contact Dr. Liu Yang at [email protected] if you have any questions of an academic nature.

Important Dates

• Submission of extended abstract: 31 January 2019
• Outcome notification: 28 February 2019
• First workshop in Singapore: mid-March 2019 (tentatively)
• Submission of first complete draft: 15 May 2019
• Second workshop in Tokyo: May/June 2019 (tentatively)
• Submission of second revised draft: 30 June 2019