Title: The driving factors of CO₂ emissions from electricity generation in Greece: an index decomposition analysis

Authors: Danae Diakoulaki; Dionysios Giannakopoulos; Sotirios Karellas

Addresses: Laboratory of Industrial and Energy Economics, School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Zografou Campus, 15780 Athens, Greece ' Chemical Process and Energy Resources Institute, National Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, 4th km. Ptolemais-Mpodosakeio Hospital, P.O. Box 95, GR 502 00 Ptolemais, Greece ' Laboratory of Steam Boilers and Thermal Plants, School of Mechanical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Zografou Campus, 15780 Athens, Greece

Abstract: The present paper investigates the driving factors of CO₂ emissions from electricity generation in Greece during the period 2005-2012 and compares the revealed trends with those recorded in EU-28. The analysis focuses on the following determinant factors: a) economic growth; b) electricity intensity of the economy; c) electricity trade; d) fuel mix; e) efficiency of electricity generation. By using a decomposition analysis based on the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index-I (LMDI-I) method, the effect of each factor is calculated under the ceteris paribus assumption. The obtained results show that in times of economic growth, changes in the fuel mix and the more efficient use of electricity in the economy have retained the upward trend of emissions, while the economic downturn has driven emissions down but at the same time it contributed to a less efficient use of energy resources in power generation and in the final demand sectors.

Keywords: electricity generation; CO₂ emissions; global warming; decomposition analysis; Divisia.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGW.2017.087205

International Journal of Global Warming, 2017 Vol.13 No.3/4, pp.382 - 397

Received: 23 Sep 2015
Accepted: 17 Dec 2015
Published online: 11 Oct 2017 *

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