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We investigate the direct role of technological innovation and other factors influencing industrial energy intensity across 17 EU countries over 1995–2009. We develop an innovative industry-level patent dataset and find compelling evidence that patent stock negatively influences industrial energy intensity. In particular, we find a much stronger effect of patent stock on energy-intensive industries with an estimated coefficient of -0.138 which almost double that of less energy-intensive industries (estimated at -0.085). While our results show that energy price remains the major determinant of energy intensity, the chemicals industry, which is not covered by the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) during the sample period, appears more susceptible to energy prices relative to other energy-intensive industries that are covered by the EU ETS. Exploring regional differences in carbon taxation, we find a significant decline in energy intensity in Northern Europe owing to the carbon tax policy implemented in the early 1990s across the Nordic countries. ; EPSRC EP/N024567/1

This paper examines the impact of deregulation and the political support for it on the electric power industry using a consistent state-level electricity generation dataset for the US contiguous states from 1997-2014. Recent analyses of productivity growth suggests that institutional factors are important, and we wish to study the role of deregulation as a state-level institutional change through two measures: (a) restructuring and (b) the political support for it, measured by the majority political affiliation of public utility commissions. We find evidence of positive impacts of deregulation (both restructuring and the political support for it) on technical efficiency across the models estimated. Our preferred model which allows for the control for deregulation variables on the mean and variance of the inefficiency shows an average technical efficiency of 73.1 percent. The results of the marginal effects reveal that the impact of deregulation including its political support on inefficiency is negative and monotonic, with a potential reduction technical inefficiency by 8.4%, thereby suggesting a compelling evidence for generation efficiency improvement via deregulation. ; The authors are grateful for the financial support by the School of Business and Economics, Loughborough University, research studentship reference number: EC1008 (M/F)

The study investigated the effect of organic chemistry pedagogies with Predict Explain Observe Explain (PEOE), Vee Heuristic (VH), and discuss strategies on students' achievement. The study also investigated the interaction effect of treatments and gender on students' achievement in organic chemistry in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The instrument used for data collection was an organic chemistry achievement test (OCAT). Kuder-Richardson (KR-21) formula was used to test the internal consistency of OCAT, which yielded a reliability value of 0.94. A sample of 308 students comprising 174 boys and 134 girls drawn from 9 schools within 9 Local Government Areas (LGA) out of 16 LGA in the Ekiti State, Nigeria, selected using multi-stage sampling techniques. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The research questions were answered using Mean and Standard Deviation scores, while the null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The study revealed that PEOE and VH strategies significantly improved students' achievement [F2, 307=255.284, P0.050] of students in Organic Chemistry. It was recommended among others that since PEOE and VH strategies were found to be effective strategies for improving students' achievement in Organic Chemistry; Chemistry teacher's trainee should be trained on the use of PEOE and VH strategies and serving teachers should use it. The curriculum developers should use PEOE and VH strategies to develop and refine the Chemistry curriculum in general and Organic Chemistry in particular.