Ulrich Wagner (Mannheim University): "Lobbying for Free Allowances in the EU ETS"
Stefan Lamp (Toulouse University): "Energy Tax Exemptions and Industrial Production"
Kathrine v. Graevenitz (ZEW): "The Effect of Network Charges on German Manufacturing Plants"
The session focuses on the effectiveness and political economy of climate change regulations in the German manufacturing sector. The papers study the main policy-driven determinants of energy and electricity costs for the manufacturing sector: the renewable energy surcharge, electricity network charges, and the Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). The first paper (Gerster & Lamp) quantifies effects of exemption from the renewable energy surcharge on production levels, employment, and input choices. The second paper (v. Graevenitz & Rottner) examines the effects of electricity network charges on electricity use, hours worked, revenues and exports. The third paper (Fadl et al.) contributes first empirical evidence on lobbying efforts exerted by manufacturing firms regulated in the EU ETS at EU institutions and the amount of pollution permits those firms receive free of charge to compensate them for adverse effects on competitiveness.