Niroo Research InstituteJournal of Energy and Economic Development2821-20611120220628Drivers of CO2 Emissions from Power Plants in Selected Fossil Fuel-Producing Countries1915098910.30503/jeedev.2022.283004.1011ENVahidGhorbani PashakolaieAssistant Professor, Department of energy economics, Niroo Research Institute (NRI), IranKioumarsHeydariAssistant Professor, Department of energy economics, Niroo Research Institute (NRI), IranMohammadSayadiAssistant Professor, Department of energy economics & Resources, Kharazmi University, IranJournal Article20210424Fossil fuel-producing countries have access to low-cost primary energy sources, which could be converted into cheap secondary energies like electricity. Although, it is worth noting that this process always generates a high rate of emissions. Most of the energy-related emissions in fossil fuel-producing countries are caused by power plants. This study focuses on data from seven major fossil fuel-producing countries of the Middle East from 2000 to 2018. These countries include Bahrain, Iran, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The analysis is based on a dynamic panel data model using GMM techniques. The results show that switching from oil-fired power plants to natural gas-fired power plants does not reduce power plant CO<sub>2</sub> emissions. However, fuel switching could be an effective climate policy in cases where electricity is generated by burning low-quality oil products. Our analysis also indicates that by increasing the thermal efficiency of power plants, CO<sub>2</sub> emissions in fossil fuel-producing countries could be reduced. To conclude, we recommend incorporating power plant efficiency improvements into emission reduction efforts in fossil fuel-producing counties.https://jeedev.nri.ac.ir/article_150989_1084d054fd0577ec7dea73f0f307b684.pdfNiroo Research InstituteJournal of Energy and Economic Development2821-20611120220628Governance in Electricity Regulatory Frameworks: A Comparative Assessment.102115257710.30503/jeedev.2022.341268.1013ENMaryamMohammadiPhD candidate, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, IranMohammad RezaLotfalipourprofessor, Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Administrative sciences, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, IranJournal Article20220509<span lang="EN-GB">The electricity industry is in constant transition. From the former wave of market deregulation and liberalization to the current transformation into a decarbonized industry, regulatory bodies have been at the core of the efforts for organizing the energy markets and devising policies for achieving the targeted energy goals for the next few decades. The capability of electricity sector regulators in dealing with the challenges of transition largely depends on the underlying regulatory governance mechanisms and this study aims to assess this crucial aspect of electricity sector regulators. Using a regulatory framework index, the governance mechanism of 20 regulatory bodies across the world is evaluated against the determined criteria. These criteria include the legal scope the regulatory body, separation of operational activities from regulatory activities and four distinct characteristics including autonomy and independence, accountability, clarity of role and objectives, and transparency and participation. The results can help governments and agencies in selection of regulatory frameworks for benchmarking. </span>https://jeedev.nri.ac.ir/article_152577_7bf7a41d9251ca8c1f681f6a4d41de54.pdfNiroo Research InstituteJournal of Energy and Economic Development2821-20611120220628Data Mining Techniques in Efficiency Analysis of Wholesale Electricity Market: A Case Study of Iran223314963510.30503/jeedev.2022.278926.1010ENMasoumehRostam Niakan KalhoriAssistant Professor, Department of Energy Economics, Niroo Research Institute, IranImanTaheri EmamiPh.D. Candidate, Department of Electrical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, IranMasoudHasani MarzooniAssistant Professor, Department of Energy Economics, Niroo research institute, IranJournal Article20210330 In this paper, predictive data mining models are employed to get insights into the efficiency of a deregulated electricity market. The bidding data of Iranian generation units in a two-phase approach are classified. Firstly, common factors that could contribute to investigating the efficiency of generation units’ bidding behavior are identified by feature selection algorithms. Then, classification rule mining algorithms are applied to extract if-then rules related to bidding blocks of generation units. The three most-applicable algorithms for classification rule mining are compared statistically. The two first algorithms are decision trees based on a direct approach. Finally, the third algorithm is the sequential covering method, perceived as an indirect approach to classification rule mining. The extracted rules are of significant importance for wholesale electricity market monitoring units (MMUs) to evaluate the market and its players thoroughly. The experimental results indicate that the partial decision tree outperforms other investigated methods.https://jeedev.nri.ac.ir/article_149635_efe1cecc38d411d5eec427b696209c84.pdfNiroo Research InstituteJournal of Energy and Economic Development2821-20611120220628Utilization of Gridable Vehicles to Improve Spinning Reserve of Power System Including Renewable Energy Sources344415056510.30503/jeedev.2022.237179.1002ENZahraMadihi BidgoliPhD Candidate, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Kashan, IranGholamhosseinRiahi DehkordiAssociate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering Power, Amirkabir University of Technology, IranJournal Article20200628Electric vehicles have become more popular due to a swift global transition to low-carbon and renewable energy sources in recent years. Technological advancements have led to the emergence of a new generation of vehicle-to-grid electric vehicles. These vehicles can simultaneously play the triple role of load, resource, and energy storage. Though the battery capacity of an electric vehicle is minuscule compared to the power system, considering the connection of many electric vehicles to the grid and their controllability, grid operation could be improved. Traditional thermal power plants could be used to support electric vehicles, but it is worth noting that this would be economically and environmentally expensive. Using renewable energy sources can reduce environmental pollutants, preserve natural resources, and expand the use of renewable energy sources. The optimum scheduling of electric vehicles as loads or sources has significant potential for evolving a sustainable integrated electricity and transportation infrastructure. In this paper, a model for optimum utilization of vehicle-to-grid electric vehicles is proposed and developed, while both traditional power plants and renewable energy sources are supplying the required power to the network. Optimum utilization of gridable vehicles and renewable energy sources improves grid operation and increases spinning reserve capacity during peak times.https://jeedev.nri.ac.ir/article_150565_e4c6bfb6e140c3e05f4a55644eeb7548.pdfNiroo Research InstituteJournal of Energy and Economic Development2821-20611120220628The Distributional Effects of Gasoline Price Reform in Iran: Incremental Price Increases or One Large Hike?455614471510.30503/jeedev.2022.274732.1009ENAliFaridzadAssociate Professor, Department of Energy, Agriculture and Environmental Economics, Faculty of Economics, Allameh Tabataba'i University, IranJournal Article20210223The distributional effect on household expenditures is crucial in implementing an acceptable policy for fuel price reform. The motivation behind this paper is to evaluate the impact of gasoline price shock on urban, rural, and all Iranian household expenditures under two scenarios: The sudden pricing scenario, implemented using the standard input-output price model, and the incremental scenario, conducted with the assumption of government price control via a modified input-output price model. To this end, we use the 2016 input-output data for the Central Bank of Iran. The empirical results indicate that the Iranian household has experienced a progressive distributional impact on their welfare after the two mentioned gasoline price shock scenarios. In other words, the share of expenditure for the highest-income groups in urban, rural, and all Iranian households would increase; which we call the progressive effect. Unlike the high-income households, the groups with the lowest income also have a lower expenditure. However, the progressivity of distributional effects is different in the two mentioned scenarios. In the sudden price shock scenario, for all types of households, the progressivity effect is less than the incremental effect. At the same time, it reveals that the distributional impact of incremental gasoline price reform policy on the poor and medium-income households is compatible with a sudden gasoline price shock scenario in the short term. To reduce the long-term effects on the poor, it is recommended that gasoline price corrections should be based on an incremental pricing policy in line with the inflation of price-driven economic indicators.https://jeedev.nri.ac.ir/article_144715_cec32f67ae45a4b1cf8f0cc5aebd5531.pdfNiroo Research InstituteJournal of Energy and Economic Development2821-20611120220628Terrorism & Electricity Industry : Relying on the Legislative Criminal Policy of Iran, & US Government Actions against Electricity Terrorism576914635210.30503/jeedev.2022.267241.1008ENMohammadAsadi JonoushiManager of the legal office of Alborz Power Distribution Company, IranVahidehAnsariAssistant professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Tehran, IranJournal Article20210113 Power plants, electricity transmission and distribution networks could be severely damaged by a small number of well-informed attackers. With this degree of importance, electricity is highly appealing to terrorists and thus it is often the target of terrorism operations. Sabotaging these facilities, which disturbs the provision of people's basic needs, could pose a serious threat to the national security of the country. Sabotage is different from ordinary vandalism as the former aims at confronting the government. When the destruction of public properties is done to create public disorder and cause terror, the crime becomes terrorism. As a preventative measure against terror caused by hostile destruction of public facilities, these facilities must be protected through appropriate legislation and actions. One of the most effective methods of protecting these facilities is to define and enact penal laws and punishments for destroying electricity infrastructure facilities. As a result of an analysis of current legal articles in this area, the legislator's protection of electricity has been trivialized in some articles. In other articles, the legislator has classified this offense as <em>Mohareb</em> and as an act of terror with a heavy penalty imposed on the offender. If the offense of sabotage is considered <em>Mohareb</em>, it will be tried in a separate court through different procedures.https://jeedev.nri.ac.ir/article_146352_23c60e4021f5aeebf46a098c8cd5d802.pdf