Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/172519 
Year of Publication: 
2017
Series/Report no.: 
ZEW Discussion Papers No. 17-067
Publisher: 
Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung (ZEW), Mannheim
Abstract: 
In this paper, we investigate the effect of the state-level renewable heating mandate for existing homes in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany's third largest federal state. The mandate requires homeowners to supply at least 10 % of their heat demand with renewable energy when they replace their existing heating system. To assess the impact of the renewable heating standard on the uptake of renewable heating systems, we use unique data on a federal government subsidy scheme and exploit geographic differences in state laws over time. We find no evidence of an effect of the mandate even after restricting distance to the state border and refining the data set through matching on population and building characteristics. These findings are unchanged, when we allow effects to vary across space or over time. While energy efficiency and renewable standards are often criticized for not being cost-effective, our results challenge the widespread view that a standard is nevertheless successful in achieving its policy goal.
Subjects: 
Technology diffusion
Building regulations
Subsidies
Renewable energy sources
JEL: 
Q4
Q48
O33
Q58
H23
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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