The Observatory relaunched as an LSE Research Centre: the Hellenic Observatory Centre for Research on Contemporary Greece and Cyprus
We marked this new chapter in the history of the Hellenic Observatory with a public lecture by Professor Costas Arkolakis, who discussed his research on the challenges and opportunities within the renewable energy paradigm and the transition to cleaner economic growth—one of the greatest industrial challenges of our time:
“In the past decades, the improvement of Renewable Energy Technologies has been so remarkable that they lay the promise of completely replacing other energy sources, upending energy markets. We develop a new economic framework to analyse the regional and aggregate economic impact of the cost reductions in solar and wind worldwide. Our investigation centres on the role of learning-by-doing in renewable energy and storage technologies, subsidies in renewables, and investments in the electricity grid. While the adaption of renewables is rapid, its welfare impact depends heavily on how much countries rely on the production and consumption of fossil fuels, and transmission grid investment. We analyse the economic implications of this transition and the main economic and institutional challenges that stand in its way. We provide insights for the implications for countries in a path of rapid renewable expansion, such as Greece, and assess the feasibility of the European Union's ambitious 2050 energy decarbonisation targets."
Meet our speaker and chair
Costas Arkolakis is a professor of economics at Yale University and an NBER Research Associate. He earned his undergraduate degree from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and his Master’s and PhD from the University of Minnesota. He joined Yale's Economics Department in 2007, became Associate Professor in 2013, Henry Kohn Associate Professor in 2014, and Full Professor in 2018. He has received several NSF grants, including an NSF CAREER grant, and the Bodossaki Foundation Prize. He is Joint-Editor of the Journal of International Economics, Co-Director of the Yale Center for Geospatial Solutions, and Chair of Hellenic Studies at Yale. His research focuses on international trade, spatial economics, macroeconomics, and industrial organization.
Vassilis Monastiriotis is the Director of the Hellenic Observatory Centre for Research on Contemporary Greece and Cyprus, Professor in Political Economy and Eleftherios Venizelos Chair of Contemporary Greek Studies.
Hashtag for this event is: #LSEGreece
Slides
The presentation slides are available to download here.
Podcast and Video
You can listen to the podcast at Clean growth: challenges and opportunities in the renewable energy paradigm.
The video is available to watch on our YouTube Channel.
View some photos from the event here.
More about this event
The Hellenic Observatory (@HO_LSE) is internationally recognised as a leading research centre on contemporary Greece and Cyprus. In 2024, it became the Hellenic Observatory Centre for Research on Contemporary Greece and Cyprus, with the strategy to expand its research base both within LSE and beyond, developing world-leading research on Greece and Cyprus. The new Centre is committed to critically engaging with key issues concerning Greece and Cyprus, maintaining a non-partisan approach that fosters genuine debate among academics, policymakers, and the public. Its work includes high-quality primary research for academic audiences, as well as translating research for broader knowledge exchange and policy impact.
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