Policy Networks, Environmental Impacts and Economic Consequences of Clean Energy in the U.S.

This dissertation contributes to the public policy literature by examining energy policy in the U.S. In a three paper format, this dissertation investigates different dimensions of energy policy. First, it covers both policy process and policy analysis. Second, it covers different levels of governance in the U.S. All three levels of governance, national, state and local levels, are covered in this study. Third, it examines different aspects of energy policy, including network interactions among policy actors, environmental impacts and growth of green jobs. In the first paper, I investigate the formation of networks among the clean energy NGOs in the U.S. With network data collected on the hyperlinks from the websites of these NGOs, testable hypotheses are proposed to test the driving mechanisms for the energy policy networks in the U.S. In the second paper, I evaluate the effectiveness of these policy tools in reducing carbon emissions in electric power sector. With a panel data set for 48 continental states from 1990 to 2008, three fixed-effect panel regressions are estimated to test the impacts of these policy tools on total carbon emissions, electricity generation and carbon intensity. In the third paper, I examine the short-term direct employment effects of state and local clean energy and climate policies in U.S. metropolitan areas (MSAs) in year 2006.