A Free-Market Environmentalist Transition toward Renewable Energy: The Cases of Germany, Denmark, and the United Kingdom

Renewable energy (RE) is one of the most popular public policy orientations worldwide. Compared to some other countries and continents, Europe has gained an early awareness environmental problems in general. At theoretical level, free-market environmentalism indicates that based on principle private property rights, with fewer state interventionist regulation policies, entrepreneurs, as driving force market economy, can provide better services meet necessity offering RE protect environment more effectively. Previous studies have revealed Germany, Denmark, United Kingdom made progress using develop RE. However, this research did not analyze three countries’ conditions from perspective environmentalism. Based our review principles environmentalism, paper originally provides empirical study how partly conducted free-market-oriented policies successfully achieve their goal since 1990s a practical level. In particular, compared Germany UK maintained relatively low tax rate opted for pro-market measures Hayekian-Thatcherism reform 1979. The also discovers Fredrich A. Hayek’s theories strongly impacted its liberalization agenda then. Low taxes industry electricity alleviated burden enterprises consumers UK. Moreover, results above show play essential roles providing affordable household industrial users sampled countries. results, warns intervention such taxation, subsidies, access restrictions impede these targets. Additionally, agendas suggestions policymakers importance implementing efficient post-COVID-19 era.