How should we design subsidies for investment in clean energy? Insights from economics

Sarah Johnston
Sarah Johnston

In a free public seminar at 3:30 PM on November 5, in room 1115 of the Wisconsin Energy Institute, UW-Madison Assistant Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics Sarah Johnston will discuss energy subsidy policy and renewable energy investment.

Abstract: Subsidies for clean energy investment are ubiquitous.  I discuss the economic rationale for these subsidies as well as how to best design them.  As an example, I discuss the design of the production tax credit, a large subsidy for investment in wind energy.  I present my research on two features of this subsidy and their impact on its effectiveness.  I close by discussing the current state of federal subsidies for wind and solar energy.

1115 Wisconsin Energy Institute
1552 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53726