Title: How to make better energy policy decisions? The stock and flow perspective

Authors: Hassan Qudrat-Ullah; Muhammad Ashiq; Naveed Subhani

Addresses: School of Administrative Studies, York University, 4700 Keele Street, M3J 1P3 Toronto, ON, Canada ' NUST, Flat No. 2, NUST Flats (MCS), Fort Road, Rawalpindi, Pakistan ' 316-22 Beliveau Road Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2M 1S5, Canada

Abstract: Energy policy issues and challenges abound. This paper addresses the energy policy as a complex, dynamic task whereby the planners and decision makers manage 'stocks' of limited resources. The stock and flow perspective provides a unique and powerful set of tools to better equip the policy decision makers to take on these challenges. By making use of various tools and techniques of system dynamics methodology such as causal loop diagrams, stock and flow diagrams, mathematical formulations, and structure-behaviour graphs of various energy system processes, it is shown how the stock and flow perspective can effectively address energy policy issues. With an understanding of the physics of underlying feedback loop structures of an energy system, and structure-behaviour graphs of various energy system processes including energy demand, policy incentives and inter-fuel substitution mechanism, and energy supply, the energy policy decision makers are expected to develop insights and make better decisions.

Keywords: energy policy; stock and flow perspective; system dynamics; causal loop diagram; CLD; feedback loops; policy incentives.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETP.2018.090693

International Journal of Energy Technology and Policy, 2018 Vol.14 No.2/3, pp.250 - 275

Received: 12 Feb 2016
Accepted: 13 Sep 2016

Published online: 27 Mar 2018 *

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