Abstract
The integrated regional energy policy and planning (IREPP) framework was devised to evaluate the feasibility of energy policies in meeting declared national targets. While the framework advances the comprehensiveness of the feasibility assessment by bringing in concepts like environment economic equity, the muted way in which institutional factors and capacity are addressed remains weak and ineffective. Here, we corrected this weakness by presenting an IREPP framework that is enhanced by integrating principles of the institutional assessment and design (IAD) framework. The IAD framework emphasizes the careful consideration of contextual factors, it draws attention to the full range of transaction costs, and does not presume a priori that one type of institutional arrangement. This IREPP-IAD framework was used to evaluate the feasibility of energy policies in three different island jurisdictions—Taiwan, Mauritius, and Trinidad and Tobago. With ambitious national targets, these islands are good testing grounds for this updated approach. Through qualitative comparative case study analysis, several institutional factors were found to play an influence if national energy policies are likely to meet set targets. These factors included: government/policy decision makers and the decision/policymaking environment; governance structure and commitment for energy policy; existing policy instruments and tools that are in play and those planned; polycentricity; stakeholder participation and community building; market dynamics; information transparency; pilot programs and technology innovations/research; compliance or responsibilities under the Paris Accord; grid connectivity and monitoring of the policy implementation progress. This study contributes in two ways. First, by providing a more robust framework for assessing institutional arrangements that moderate how energy policies are implemented and second, providing insightful assessments of the energy policies in three island jurisdictions, thereby increasing our understanding of island energy policymaking and implementation in these understudied geographies.
Highlights
Recent discourse on energy policy has pointed to various problems associated with use of the fossil fuel-based resources economy, including economic instability, energy insecurity, social inequity, environmental pollution, and global warming
This study provides a robust framework based on the integrated regional energy policy and planning (IREPP)-institutional assessment and design (IAD) approach to assess renewable energy development initiatives and targets in small island states and sheds light on the broader institutional factors affecting the growth of the renewable energy sector in these countries
We provide some key insights on institutional barriers, supports, and recommendations that can serve to enhance individual countries’ efforts
Summary
Recent discourse on energy policy has pointed to various problems associated with use of the fossil fuel-based resources economy, including economic instability, energy insecurity, social inequity, environmental pollution, and global warming. Island states or small island developing states (SIDS) are increasingly vulnerable to climate change due to sea level rise, overwhelming dependence on fossil fuel-based resources, and lack of financial resources for mitigation and adaptation [2] For these countries, the three key targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 on energy that hold special importance are: ensuring affordable, reliable, and universal access to modern energy services; increasing substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix; and doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency [3,4]. This has been achieved by setting ambitious targets, creating suitable governance structures, and creating policy supports like incentives and tax deductions at a regional level to achieve these targets [11]
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