Experimental Comparison between Markets on Dynamic Permit Trading and Investment in Irreversible Abatement with and without Non-Regulated Companies
Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment Working Paper No. 41
Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy Working Paper No. 51
32 Pages Posted: 4 Dec 2010 Last revised: 12 Oct 2013
Date Written: August 13, 2013
Abstract
This paper examines the investment strategies of compliance companies in irreversible abatement technologies and the environmental achievements of the system in an inter-temporal cap-and-trade market using laboratory experiments. The experimental analysis is performed under varying market structures: firstly, in a market that is exclusive to compliance companies and subsequently, in a market that is open to both compliance and non-compliance entities. In line with theoretical models on irreversible abatement investment, the paper shows that regulated companies trade permits at a premium. Also, steep per unit penalties for excess emissions prompt early investments in irreversible abatement technologies. Further, the paper shows that by contributing to the permit demand and supply, non-compliance companies (i) enhance the exchange of permits, helping the system to achieve a zero-excess permit position, (ii) increase the price levels, but has no apparent effect on price variability.
Keywords: Irreversible Abatement, Stochastic Emissions, Dynamic Trading, Participation Restrictions, Non-compliance Entities.
JEL Classification: Q50, C02, C91, D40
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
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