Simulating climate and energy policy with agent-based modelling: The Energy Modelling Laboratory (EMLab)

We present an approach to simulate climate and energy policy for the EU, using a flexible and modular agent-based modelling approach and a toolbox, called the Energy Modelling Laboratory (EMLab). The paper shortly reviews core challenges and approaches for modelling climate and energy policy in light of the energy transition. Afterwards, we present an agent-based model of investment in power generation that has addressed a variety of European energy policy questions. We describe the development of a flexible model core as well as modules on carbon and renewables policies, capacity mechanisms, investment behaviour and representation of intermittent renewables. We present an overview of modelling results, ongoing projects, a case study on current reforms of the EU ETS, and we show their relevance in the EU context.     

Control point policy optimization using genetic algorithms

This paper describes the application of an integrated Genetic Algorithm (GA)/Discrete Event Simulation model for selecting optimum values for Critical Point Policy (CPP) hedging time and buffer size parameters. The CPP is shown to perform well, when compared with the Critical Ratio priority rule, in terms of improving service levels, particularly when subject to conditions where buffer sizes and Takt times are required to be small. The technique developed involves buffer sizes being chosen by a GA according to a constraint on the total storage space available within the system. A method is described for reducing the number of variables that the GA needs to deal with, hence, improving the efficiency of the GA optimization process. The development and application work reported also provides further understanding into how and when the CPP should be applied.     

A classification of tactical assembly line feeding problems

Trends like mass-customisation and the increasing number of models produced and parts used on a single assembly line promote interest in the field of assembly line feeding. The assembly line feeding problem (ALFP) deals with the assignment of parts to line feeding policies such as line stocking, boxed-supply, sequencing and kitting (stationary and travelling), and emerged as a research field two and a half decades ago. In order to structure the increasing effort in this field, we provide an extensive review of the literature and organise it from various perspectives. Furthermore, we propose a classification for the ALFP and classify existing literature. The goal of this classification is threefold. Firstly, it should help the reader to get an overview of the problem and most of its related aspects. Secondly, the classification reveals blind spots in academic research. Finally, it enables practitioners to match real-world problems with existing research results. In order to encourage researchers to close the existing gaps, we finalise this paper by pointing out the most important open research fields.     

德国对建筑遮阳产品的政策支持与经济资助措施

文章分析了德国政府对节能技术包括建筑遮阳产品在政策扶持和经济资助方面的具体措施，包括宏观政策导向与原则，经济资助与税收优惠措施，建筑节能技术研发资助思路，实施组织结构等情况，并介绍了欧洲遮阳协会建筑遮阳节能减排报告的主要成果。     

Comparative study of commercial building energy-efficiency retrofit policies in four pilot cities in China

The energy efficiency of existing commercial buildings is more challenging to regulate and improve than the energy efficiency of new constructions. In 2011 and 2012, the Chinese Government selected four cities- Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenzhen, and Chongqing- to implement pilot commercial building energy efficiency retrofit program. Based on site surveys and expert interviews in these pilot cities, this research conducted a comparative analysis on incentive policies of local city level. The analysis results show that policy designs of existing commercial buildings should be further improved. The aspects that influence the implementation effect in the future, such as subsidy level, installments, and business model promotion, should be specified in the policy clauses. Referring to the technical solution and cost-benefit in Chongqing, we found that lighting system is the most common retrofit objects while envelope system is the least common one. And the subsidy incentive is greatest for educational buildings, followed by office buildings. In the end, we further discussed the problems and obstacles in commercial building retrofit market, and provided a series of recommendations.     

Towards a low carbon growth in Mexico: Is a double dividend possible? A dynamic general equilibrium assessment

This paper simulates the medium- and long-term impact of proposed and expected energy policy on the environment and on the Mexican economy. The analysis has been conducted with a Multi-sector Macroeconomic Model for the Evaluation of Environmental and Energy policy (Three-ME). This model is well suited for policy assessment purposes in the context of developing economies as it indicates the transitional effects of policy intervention. Three-ME estimates the carbon tax required to meet emissions reduction targets within the Mexican “Climate Change Law”, and assesses alternative policy scenarios, each reflecting a different strategy for the recycling of tax revenues. With no compensation, the taxation policy would reduce CO₂ emissions by more than 75% by 2050 with respect to Business as Usual (BAU), but at high economic costs. Under full redistribution of carbon tax revenues, a double dividend arises: the policy appears beneficial both in terms of GDP and CO₂ emissions reduction.     

Housing policy in remote Indigenous communities: how politics obstructs good policy

Abstract

When it comes to issues of housing policy, remote Indigenous housing often presents the extreme case. The failures of housing policy are most acute in remote Indigenous Australia, but despite the need to learn from the policy mistakes of the past, there has been little detailed analysis of the policy history. Through documentary and empirical analysis, we show that policies have either failed to be adapted to cultural and geographic contexts or, when they have been culturally responsive, they have lacked attention to the complexities of service delivery. Despite differences in policy settings, the long view is one of the normalization of Indigenous communities, although research points to the need for culturally appropriate arrangements. We argue that rather than politically motivated short-termism, governments need to develop a medium- to long-term approach that approaches policy solutions incrementally, builds capacity within the state and Indigenous communities, and is based on the evidence.     

Contribution of green labels in electricity retail markets to fostering renewable energy

In European countries, retailers are obliged to disclose the energy source and the related environmental impacts of their portfolio over the preceding year. The electricity supplied in the Dutch retail market is presented as renewable energy for 34%, but this relatively high share is for 69% based on certificates (Guarantees of Origin) which are imported from in particular Norway. The certificates are used to sell green electricity to consumers. The premium for green electricity which is actually paid by Dutch consumers is no more than a few percentages of the retail price. The low level of this premium is related to the abundant supply of certificates at low marginal costs from Norway. This also means that the premium for green electricity is too low to give an incentive for investments in new capacity. Hence, the current labelling system for renewable electricity is mainly valuable, besides being an instrument for tracking and tracing of renewable energy, as a marketing instrument for electricity retailers. The effectiveness of Guarantees of Origin as a policy instrument to foster renewable electricity sources is weak. This effectiveness can be raised by implementing restrictions on the international trade or the issuance of new certificates.     

Managing consensus and weights in iterative multiple-attribute group decision making

This study put forwards a novel consensus framework to manage the consensus and weights (i.e., weights of the experts and attributes) in iterative multiple-attribute group decision making (MAGDM) problem. In this consensus framework, an optimization-based consensus model is devised to support the process of preferences-modifying, which seeks to minimize the adjustment amounts (in the sense of Manhattan distance) between the original and adjusted preferences. Then, the other two optimization-based consensus models are constructed to support the weights-updating, in which the consensus level among experts can be further improved. A numerical example is provided to show the application of the proposed consensus framework, and a detailed comparison analysis is presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed consensus framework.