Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2021, Geography (Arts and Sciences)

Issues of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change are shaping the energy policies of various nations. Embracing low carbon technologies whiles incrementally reducing dependence on fossil fuel technologies seems to be the world's direction on energy at the moment. This study investigates how the energy policy of Ohio is promoting, if at all, this larger transition away from fossil fuels. The study made use of both primary and secondary data. The primary data was generated from responses through a semi-structured interview protocol from experienced professionals working within and outside the energy industry of Ohio. Secondary data was gotten from published academic and journalistic articles and then the use of document analysis was used to analyze them. There was a combined use of both textual and content analysis on secondary data obtained for this research. The study revealed that even though Ohio has a good ranking on its net metering policy, a holistic view of the energy policy thwarts Renewable Energy development. As it stands, the Renewable Wind Industry is stalled in development due to current policies. Also, various attempts by the legislature to introduce bills that do not promote renewables scare would-be investors. Ohio's current energy policy favors fossil fuels and nuclear plants. Lastly, stakeholders with an interest in Renewable Energy development have insufficient power to see it through the Ohio legislature. In light of this, the study proposes the way forward for a smooth transition from fossil fuel plants to renewables by calling for federal intervention in setting standards and providing the way forward for the cleaning of the electricity grid of Ohio.

Committee: Harold Perkins (Committee Chair); Geoffrey Buckley (Committee Member); Risa Whitson (Committee Member) Subjects: Climate Change; Energy; Environmental Justice; Geography; Political Science; Public Policy; Regional Studies

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2009, Natural Resources

A key component of climate change policy is the promotion of alternative energy sources. Among renewable energy technologies wind energy represents an important source of alternative energy with a minimal carbon footprint. While utility-scale wind farms have garnered much attention, a more widely dispersed energy resource is “small wind” – installations capable of generating small quantities of electricity in distributed (close to the end-user) rather than centralized form. With less visibility and smaller potential gain for large utilities, small wind technologies provide an interesting study in state environmental policy adoption. This research looks at the status of state small wind policies across the United States, and it tests the applicability of two policy adoption models to explain variability in state small wind policies: (1) internal determinants and (2) regional policy diffusion. Primary data were collected using an online survey instrument distributed to state energy officials across the country, and the results were analyzed using both statistical and qualitative techniques. Additionally, case studies were performed for three states – Oregon, Ohio, and Oklahoma – to provide greater contextual understanding to the survey instrument results and to illustrate the unique circumstances determining small wind policy adoption at the state level.The findings from the survey analysis suggested that the internal determinants model was better suited to explain state adoption of small wind policies than the regional policy diffusion model, although variables from both models were deemed important. In particular, six primary factors were found to be connected to the development of state small wind policies: a state's historical commitment to environmental protection and policy innovations; citizen ideology; economic wealth and development; retail price of electricity; degree of legislative professionalism; and interstate competition related to leadership on environ (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Tom Koontz (Advisor); Jeremy Bruskotter (Committee Member); Anand Desai (Committee Member); Earl Epstein (Committee Member); Andrew Keeler (Committee Member) Subjects: Energy; Environmental Science; Public Administration

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2007, Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics

In response to growing concerns on global warming and efforts to create a sustainable energy future, biomass energy may become a viable source of clean and renewable energy resource. Biomass resources are carbon neutral and hence play a pivotal role in reducing emission of greenhouse gases (GHG). The use of biomass resources for energy production is even more relevant in Ohio, as its power industry is heavily based on coal, making it one of the top polluting states in the nation. This dissertation evaluates the prospects of biomass cofiring in Ohio to generate commercial electricity. Specifically, the study develops a dynamic linear programming model (OH-MARKAL) to analyze key economic, environmental, and policy issues related to energy needs for Ohio's future. The OH-MARKAL is a comprehensive power sector model which is based on the MARKAL (MARKet ALlocation) framework. This study addresses two key issues for Ohio: first, the importance of diversifying fuel resource base for the power industry; and second, the need to increase the use of biomass or renewable resources in Ohio. The model can serve as an effective tool for Ohio's energy planning, since it evaluates economic and environmental consequences of any policy changes. The results of this study indicate that policy interventions are necessary to make biomass co-firing competitive with coal and about 7 percent of renewable electricity can be generated by using biomass in Ohio. The study suggests that an optimal level of renewable portfolio standard (RPS) can be mandated to increase the renewable electricity generation in Ohio. To achieve a higher RPS than 7 percent level, Ohio needs to include other renewable sources into its electricity generation portfolio. The results also indicate that the marginal price of electricity must increase by four fold to mitigate CO2 emissions 15 percent below the 2002 level. Hence, Ohio will need to consider and invest on clean coal technologies and examine the option of carbon (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Fredrick Hitzhusen (Advisor) Subjects: Economics, Agricultural

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2022, Environmental Science

US policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels are considering policy mechanisms to promote renewable energy development and ensure a just transition to a clean energy infrastructure. These policies have the potential to both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create jobs; however, the number of actual jobs created from these policy instruments is often disputed. In this study, I evaluate the direct non-hydroelectric renewable energy employment impacts from eight types of renewable energy policies: (1) subsidy programs; (2) corporate, (3) personal, and (4) other tax incentives; (5) performance-based incentives; (6) industry recruitment/support; (7) renewable portfolio standards; and (8) net metering. Using data from 3,035 US counties from 2001 to 2017, I employ Fixed Effects (FE) regression models controlling for calculated propensity scores, which address the potential selection bias in the model. The results indicate that three of the policy instruments (renewable portfolio standards, industry recruitment/support, and performance-based incentives) have positive and statistically significant impacts on direct non-hydro renewable energy employment at the county level. The policy type with the greatest positive impact was industry recruitment/support. Counties with industry recruitment/support policies present, on average, had 82 more direct non-hydro renewable energy jobs than counties that did not have industry recruitment/support present, holding all else constant. Critically, the results show the importance of addressing selection bias in analyses of renewable energy policy outcomes, as the models run without controlling for propensity scores led to an overestimation of employment impacts.

Committee: Dr. Daniel Gingerich (Advisor); Dr. Jeff Bielicki (Committee Member); Dr. Rob Greenbaum (Committee Member) Subjects: Energy; Public Policy; Sustainability

Master of Arts (MA), Ohio University, 2022, Geography (Arts and Sciences)

Environmental issues such as habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change have spurred societies around the world to invest in new forms of alternative energy to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and the impacts that result from their extraction and use. The United States is the largest economy on Earth and consumes the most fossil fuels per capita. In this regard, the U.S. is lagging behind in terms of developing and utilizing alternative energy, but it is not the case that alternatives beyond fossil fuels are not being utilized at all. In fact, one of the biggest alternative energy booms in the U.S. has developed around wind energy. At the same time, the fossil fuel industry has undergone massive changes, shifting to natural gas while phasing out the use of coal. The state of Iowa has been a leader in developing and utilizing wind power for more than a decade, and in combination with utilizing more natural gas, has phased out using coal as a primary source for generating electricity. Like Iowa, Ohio has been replacing coal with natural gas in recent years, but unlike the Hawkeye State, has largely shunned wind power. Both states have gone in opposite directions in terms of electricity generation, but both have reduced their carbon footprint by very large amounts. In this thesis, I compare and contrast Iowa and Ohio

Committee: Geoffrey Buckley (Committee Chair); Ana Myers (Committee Member); Timothy Anderson (Committee Member) Subjects: Energy; Environmental Economics; Environmental Geology; Environmental Science; Environmental Studies; Geography; Geology; Land Use Planning; Natural Resource Management

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2015, Antioch New England: Environmental Studies

While there are as yet no wind energy facilities in New England coastal waters, a number of wind turbine projects are now operating on land adjacent to the coast. In the Gulf of Maine region (from Maine to Massachusetts), at least two such projects, one in Falmouth, Massachusetts, and another on the island of Vinalhaven, Maine, began operation with public backing only to face subsequent opposition from some who were initially project supporters. I investigate the reasons for this dynamic using content analysis of documents related to wind energy facility development in three case study communities. For comparison and contrast with the Vinalhaven and Falmouth case studies, I examine materials from Hull, Massachusetts, where wind turbine construction and operation has received steady public support and acceptance. My research addresses the central question: What does case study analysis of the siting and initial operation of three wind energy projects in the Gulf of Maine region reveal that can inform future governance of wind energy in Massachusetts state coastal waters? I consider the question with specific attention to governance of wind energy in Massachusetts, then explore ways in which the research results may be broadly transferable in the U.S. coastal context. I determine that the change in local response noted in Vinalhaven and Falmouth may have arisen from a failure of consistent inclusion of stakeholders throughout the entire scoping-to-siting process, especially around the reporting of environmental impact studies. I find that, consistent with the principles of ecosystem-based and adaptive management, design of governance systems may require on-going cycles of review and adjustment before the implementation of such systems as intended is achieved in practice. I conclude that evolving collaborative processes must underlie science and policy in our approach to complex environmental and wind energy projects; indeed, collaborative process is fundamen (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: James Jordan Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Joy Ackerman Ph.D. (Committee Member); Herman Karl Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Alternative Energy; Energy; Environmental Management; Environmental Studies; Public Policy

Bachelor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2007, School Of Interdisciplinary Studies - Environmental Studies

Petroleum geologist M. King Hubbert correctly predicted that oil production in the United States would peak 1970 and decline thereafter. This event led to a theory that world oil production would follow the same curve with a peak expected to occur within the next decade. This project studies the economic, social, and political effects of a peak oil crisis. The decline in world oil production will cause oil prices to rise, which will force consumers to conserve energy, find alternatives, or suffer in debt. Economies and livelihoods on a global scale are at risk. Tax subsidies from the federal government encourage domestic oil production and reduce the incentive to make capital investments in more abundant, alternative fuels. The United States government has dealt with energy crises in the past by regulating energy consumption, production, and research and development using national energy policy. Analysis of the legislative history of energy policy and public administration shows a progression of agenda-setting dynamics that have contributed to (rather than mitigated) the potential peak oil problem that exists today.

Committee: Bill Green (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.), Franklin University, 2024, Business Administration

This dissertation examines the impact of inadequate water and electricity supply on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in The Gambia. The research highlights how the scarcity and unreliability of these essential utilities significantly deter foreign investment, particularly in key economic sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism. In-depth interviews with government officials and foreign direct investors were conducted qualitatively to assess the direct impacts of such utility shortages on businesses' functionality and investment decisions. These findings show that not only does unreliable utility increase operational costs, but it is also positively related to perceived risk and instability by potential investors. It also points to the critical linkage between sustainable infrastructure development and economic growth, necessitating renewable energy solutions that assure utility reliability improvements and further attract environmentally sensitive investors. Additionally, the study contributes to the existing literature by highlighting gaps in previous research, particularly the importance of infrastructure reliability as a critical driver of FDI, alongside traditional factors like political stability and market size. The report further informs policymakers with practical recommendations, including holistic regulatory reforms in technology upgrades and regional cooperation that build better utility infrastructure for the country. Therefore, The Gambia needs to make up for such deficiencies with more amiable environments for FDI if the country is to achieve long-term economic growth and development. This study points out that addressing utility infrastructure challenges is crucial for attracting foreign investment and imperative for achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth in The Gambia.

Committee: Charles Fenner (Committee Chair); Wendell Seaborne (Committee Member); Rachel Tate (Committee Member) Subjects: Business Administration

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Studies and Public Affairs, Cleveland State University, 2013, Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs

Since the late 1990s, state governments in the U.S. have diversified policy instruments for encouraging the electric power industry to deploy renewable sources for electricity generation. While observing the increasing number of new renewable energy policies at the state level governments, this study raised two research questions: (1) how do state governments intervene in the renewable energy market? and (2) how do various policy approaches taken by state governments affect renewable energy development? To answer for these questions, this study attempts to identify the trends and variations in renewable energy policy designs among states in terms of the combination of aggregate level policy instruments used by state authorities. Additionally, this study aims to examine and compare the effectiveness of policy instruments in the deployment of renewable energy sources for electricity production. This study examined 18 state legislative, renewable energy related regulations, programs, or financial incentives existing between 2001 and 2010 in 48 states. Those 18 individual renewable energy policies were classified into three types of policy instruments: command-and-control, market-based, and information instruments. For the analysis, this study measured the amount and share of the electricity generation from non-hydro renewable sources as renewable energy policy effects. In order to isolate policy effects, this study also considered state specific characteristics such as natural endowment, economic and political environments, and the market conditions of electric power industries in different states. This study employed fixed-effects models to analyze cross-sectional time series data. The results showed that states’ adoption of diverse command-and-control types of policy instruments have significantly influenced the increase of both the amount and share of renewable electricity, while informative policy tools helped increase the share of renewable sources used (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: William Bowen PhD (Committee Chair); Benjamin Clark PhD (Committee Member); Sung-Han Cho PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Public Policy