{"id":{"repo_id":"cornell","oai_identifier":"oai:ecommons.cornell.edu:1813/117398"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/cornell/oai:ecommons.cornell.edu:1813/117398","repository":{"repo_id":"cornell","name":"Cornell University","base_url":"https://ecommons.cornell.edu/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"The Economic Returns of Decarbonizing the Global Power Sector","abstract":"This thesis examines the economic returns of decarbonizing the global power sector. Using data from 79,797 operational power plants across 156 countries, I quantify both costs and benefits through 2035 and 2050, globally and for countries. Themethodology extends the Coasian approach to all fossil fuels in electricity generation. The findings challenge the widespread belief that just climate action is too expensive. With a social cost of carbon of $190/tCO2e, net benefits reach $11.0 trillion by 2035 and $50.4 trillion by 2050. Notably, just 3.3% of total costs come from compensating fossil fuel owners, shifting the focus to mobilizing capital as the main challenge. While 45 countries see positive returns from self-financing by 2035, others need cross-border climate finance. This analysis transforms climate finance from a perceived zero-sum game into a positive-sum opportunity. Rather than charity, investments from developed to developing countries generate returns of 180-1457%. The findings demonstrate that power sector decarbonization represents both a solution to climate change and a compelling economic opportunity. These results provide policymakers with rigorous economic rationale to accelerate energy transition investments.","abstract_html":"This thesis examines the economic returns of decarbonizing the global power sector. Using data from 79,797 operational power plants across 156 countries, I quantify both costs and benefits through 2035 and 2050, globally and for countries. Themethodology extends the Coasian approach to all fossil fuels in electricity generation. The findings challenge the widespread belief that just climate action is too expensive. With a social cost of carbon of $190/tCO2e, net benefits reach $11.0 trillion by 2035 and $50.4 trillion by 2050. Notably, just 3.3% of total costs come from compensating fossil fuel owners, shifting the focus to mobilizing capital as the main challenge. While 45 countries see positive returns from self-financing by 2035, others need cross-border climate finance. This analysis transforms climate finance from a perceived zero-sum game into a positive-sum opportunity. Rather than charity, investments from developed to developing countries generate returns of 180-1457%. The findings demonstrate that power sector decarbonization represents both a solution to climate change and a compelling economic opportunity. These results provide policymakers with rigorous economic rationale to accelerate energy transition investments.","abstract_has_math":true,"creators":["Bhadane, Yuktha"],"institution":"Cornell University","degree_name":"M.S., Applied Economics and Management","degree_level":"Master of Science","degree_discipline":"Applied Economics and Management","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":["Tobin, John"],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-05","date_published":"2025-05","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:48:56Z","subjects":["Climate Finance","Coasian Bargain","Decarbonization","Fossil Fuels","Power Sector","Renewable Energy"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Attribution 4.0 International"],"rights_urls":["https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["https://doi.org/10.7298/0tyf-6c51"],"render_values":[{"text":"https://doi.org/10.7298/0tyf-6c51","href":"https://doi.org/10.7298/0tyf-6c51","code":true}]},{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["ProQuest Submission ID: 12421","ProQuest Publication ID: 32000309"],"render_values":[{"text":"ProQuest Submission ID: 12421","href":null,"code":true},{"text":"ProQuest Publication ID: 32000309","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/1813/117398","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Tobin, John"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Bhadane, Yuktha"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2025-08-20T21:35:25Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-08-20T21:35:25Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2025-05"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["dissertation or thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Applied Economics and Management"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["M.S., Applied Economics and Management"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Cornell University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Climate Finance","Coasian Bargain","Decarbonization","Fossil Fuels","Power Sector","Renewable Energy"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Attribution 4.0 International"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["https://doi.org/10.7298/0tyf-6c51"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["ProQuest Submission ID: 12421","ProQuest Publication ID: 32000309"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/1813/117398"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["122 pages"]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This thesis examines the economic returns of decarbonizing the global power sector. Using data from 79,797 operational power plants across 156 countries, I quantify both costs and benefits through 2035 and 2050, globally and for countries. Themethodology extends the Coasian approach to all fossil fuels in electricity generation. The findings challenge the widespread belief that just climate action is too expensive. With a social cost of carbon of $190/tCO2e, net benefits reach $11.0 trillion by 2035 and $50.4 trillion by 2050. Notably, just 3.3% of total costs come from compensating fossil fuel owners, shifting the focus to mobilizing capital as the main challenge. While 45 countries see positive returns from self-financing by 2035, others need cross-border climate finance. This analysis transforms climate finance from a perceived zero-sum game into a positive-sum opportunity. Rather than charity, investments from developed to developing countries generate returns of 180-1457%. The findings demonstrate that power sector decarbonization represents both a solution to climate change and a compelling economic opportunity. These results provide policymakers with rigorous economic rationale to accelerate energy transition investments."]},{"key":"dc:format.mimetype","label":"Dc Format Mimetype","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Economic Returns of Decarbonizing the Global Power Sector"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Tobin, John"],"dc:creator":["Bhadane, Yuktha"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2025-08-20T21:35:25Z"],"dc:date.available":["2025-08-20T21:35:25Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2025-05"],"dc:description":["122 pages"],"dc:description.abstract":["This thesis examines the economic returns of decarbonizing the global power sector. Using data from 79,797 operational power plants across 156 countries, I quantify both costs and benefits through 2035 and 2050, globally and for countries. 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