Undergraduate Honors Thesis

Alternative Title

• To What Extent Does Gas and Oil Employment Affect RPS Policy Stringency?

Abstract

• This research examines the relationship between renewable portfolio standard policy stringency and gas and oil industry employment rates. The original hypotheses studied in this research include two parts, (a) the lower the gas and oil employment rate, the more stringent an RPS policy is in a given state will be in that respective state, and (b), the lower the total unemployment rate will be in that respective state, the more stringent an RPS policy is in a given state, were disconfirmed. The findings observed in this regression prove the positive correlations found in both of my original hypotheses are not statistically significant, suggesting no observable effects on policy stringency. However, my research highlights statistically significant correlations between RPS policy stringency and other observed dependent variables including “investor-owned utilities,” retail suppliers,” “solar radiation,” and “per capita income.” These observed correlations offer valuable insight into the factors influencing high RPS policy stringency, including a state’s financial capacity and access to abundant natural resources. This research highlights that states with higher levels of solar radiation and per capita income are more likely to adopt stringent RPS policies This research also challenges preconceived notions on the relationship between stringent RPS policies and gas and oil employment, potentially influencing positive public opinion and perception on the U.S.’ clean energy transition.

Creator

• Escandon, Alexcis Joy

Date Awarded

• 2024-03-20

Academic Affiliation

• Political Science

Advisor

• Parinandi, Srinivas C

Committee Member

• Bickers, Ken
• Kaffine, Dan Thomas

Granting Institution

• University of Colorado Boulder

Subject

• environmental policy
• U.S. clean energy transition
• renewable portfolio standard policy stringency
• fossil fuel industry
• investor-owned utilities
• gas and oil employment rates
• RPS policies
• municipal-owned utilities
• U.S. green energy transition
• unemployment rate

Publisher

• University of Colorado Boulder

Última modificação

• 2024-04-22

Localização

• Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO

Resource Type

• Undergraduate Honors Thesis

Declaração de direitos

• In Copyright

Language

• English [eng]

Citation

• Escandon, A. J. (2024, March 20). Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) Policy Stringency & Gas and Oil Industry Employment: Factors Influencing Stringent Environmental Policy.

Relações

Em Collection:

• Arts and Sciences Honors Program

Itens

Miniatura	Título	Data de carga	Acesso	Ações
	Escandon_Alexcis_Final_Copy.pdf	2024-04-16	Público	Baixar