Policy instruments for energy conservation : a multidimensional assessment ; Les instruments économiques de maîtrise de l'énergie : une évaluation multidimensionnelle

This thesis evaluates the effectiveness of various forms of taxes, subsidies and regulations implemented to correct for market failures that may prevent energy savings. It builds on various approaches, with gradual complexity. First, a standard microeconomic model is developed to compare the static performances of these instruments. Second, the representation of consumer behaviour is strengthened in a model of the residential energy demand for space heating in France, which allows to identify the dynamic mechanisms by which instruments can correct for the main market failures. Third, an empirical evaluation of « white certificate » schemes – tradable energy saving obligations imposed on energy operators – is made from the comparison between the British, Italian and French experiences, taking into account national institutions. The following conclusions can be drawn from these various approaches : (i) energy taxes, by encouraging both energy efficiency investment and sufficiency behaviour, are particularly effective ; (ii) energy efficiency regulations have a significant impact on the diffusion of efficient technologies ; (iii) subsidies to energy efficiency induce a large rebound effect ; (iv) depending on the institutional environment in which they operate, white certificate schemes combine different properties of these instruments. Applied to the French residential building sector, the most effective combination of these instruments does not allow to reach the energy saving target set by the Government ; Cette thèse évalue l'efficacité de différentes formes de taxes, subventions et réglementations mises en place pour corriger les défaillances de marché qui s'opposent aux économies d'énergie. Elle mobilise plusieurs approches, selon un degré de complexité croissant. Dans un premier temps, un modèle microéconomique standard est développé pour comparer les performances statiques des différents instruments. Dans un deuxième temps, la représentation des comportements des consommateurs est approfondie dans un modèle ...