Dr. Matilde D'Amelio, FHEA

Integration between the different components of development is a major aspiration of the 2030 agenda, but the efforts of firms that intend to contribute simultaneously to multiple development trajectories may be hindered by trade-offs that occur between the different sustainable development goals (SDGs) and targets. At the same time, synergies may also materialize and reinforce firm’s contribution. This chapter analyzes the effects of multinational enterprises (MNEs) and other foreign investors… Show more

Integration between the different components of development is a major aspiration of the 2030 agenda, but the efforts of firms that intend to contribute simultaneously to multiple development trajectories may be hindered by trade-offs that occur between the different sustainable development goals (SDGs) and targets. At the same time, synergies may also materialize and reinforce firm’s contribution. This chapter analyzes the effects of multinational enterprises (MNEs) and other foreign investors on two different targets of SDG 7, namely access of population to modern energy systems, chiefly electricity, and the use of carbon-free and renewable energy sources in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries, and the authors investigate whether foreign investors experience trade-offs and synergies in their contributions. A two-equation growth model of households’ access to electricity and carbon factor is estimated by employing a panel dataset that covers 15 SSA countries and foreign direct investment (FDI) from 82 origin countries over the 2005–2011 period. The findings reveal that foreign investors are subject to a trade-off in their effects, because when they foster access to electricity they are also likely to spur carbon factor increases, and vice versa, depending on the economic development of host and home countries. Nevertheless, electrification and carbon factor reduction are shown to be linked by a system-level synergy. The results have implications for the design of MNEs attraction measures and energy policy in recipient countries. Show less

Despite their unprecedented growth, developing countries still face severe problems in the provision of
collective goods. Electricity, whose provision is scarce or unreliable in most developing regions,
especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, is an emblematic case. The reason for this shortage is not only
imputable to the lack of effective formal institutions, but also to the inefficacy of informal institutions in
enabling alternative solutions for the production, transmission and… Show more

Despite their unprecedented growth, developing countries still face severe problems in the provision of
collective goods. Electricity, whose provision is scarce or unreliable in most developing regions,
especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, is an emblematic case. The reason for this shortage is not only
imputable to the lack of effective formal institutions, but also to the inefficacy of informal institutions in
enabling alternative solutions for the production, transmission and distribution of electricity. We claim
that in this context of “double institutional void”, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and multinational
enterprises (MNEs) can play a decisive role. However, their effectiveness depends on both the formal
and informal institutional proximity between the home and the host countries. Our empirical analysis
relies on panel data models run on a sample of pairs of home-host countries, the latter of which are all
from Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), observed from 2005 to 2011 Show less

Access to electricity is a marker for development but it is far from being universal in developing countries. In this context, multinational enterprises (MNEs) could play a role, especially if the country suffers from institutional voids. Using a panel of 1500 home-host country pairs, observed from 2005 to 2011, we show that MNEs promote access to electricity by deploying electricity infrastructures. This is more likely true if they come from institutionally weak environments. Thus, electricity… Show more

Access to electricity is a marker for development but it is far from being universal in developing countries. In this context, multinational enterprises (MNEs) could play a role, especially if the country suffers from institutional voids. Using a panel of 1500 home-host country pairs, observed from 2005 to 2011, we show that MNEs promote access to electricity by deploying electricity infrastructures. This is more likely true if they come from institutionally weak environments. Thus, electricity infrastructures are not only essential for their business activities but they can be used as a legitimation mechanism to overcome their liability of origin. Show less

Due to its suitability for using wet biomass, hydrothermal gasification is a promising process for the valorization of otherwise unused waste biomass to synthesis gas and biofuels. Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) based hybrid cycles are considered as the best candidate for a more efficient and clean conversion of (bio)fuels. A significant potential for the integration of the two technologies is expected since hydrothermal gasification requires heat at 673-773 K, whereas SOFC is characterized by… Show more

Due to its suitability for using wet biomass, hydrothermal gasification is a promising process for the valorization of otherwise unused waste biomass to synthesis gas and biofuels. Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) based hybrid cycles are considered as the best candidate for a more efficient and clean conversion of (bio)fuels. A significant potential for the integration of the two technologies is expected since hydrothermal gasification requires heat at 673-773 K, whereas SOFC is characterized by heat excess at high temperature due to the limited electrochemical fuel conversion. This work presents a systematic process integration and optimization of a SOFC-GT hybrid cycle fuelled with hydrothermally gasified waste biomass. Several design options are systematically developed and compared through a thermodynamic optimization approach based on First Law and exergy analysis. The work demonstrates the considerable potential of the system that allows for converting wet waste biomass into electricity at a First Law efficiency of up to 63%, while simultaneously enabling the separation of biogenic carbon dioxide for further use or sequestration. Show less