Geoffrey A. Black, Ph.D.

Professor, Economics

gblack@boisestate.edu
(208) 426-1359
Mail Stop: 1620
Office Number: MBEB 3252

Dr. Black received his PhD. in economics from the University of Washington in 1995, with specialties in public finance and environmental and natural resource economics. He also holds Master of Science degrees in both Geology and Resource Economics.

Dr. Black’s primary research interests relate to energy economics and regional and international economic development issues. In addition to being a member of the COBE faculty, Dr. Black is a Senior Research Affiliate of the Center for Advanced Energy Studies Energy Policy Institute.  Dr. Black performs research on energy and economic development, including studies on the economics of small modular reactors (SMRs), the impacts of energy development on economic activity and tax revenues, and the economic impacts of large federal R & D facilities. In this latter field, he has performed several studies on the economic impacts of the Idaho National Laboratory on the regional economy as well as the development of an SMR industry in the United States. He has given numerous presentations on these topics to academic, research, international development, industry, and legislative groups across the United States and internationally.

Dr. Black came to Boise State University in the fall of 2000 from upstate New York where he had been a professor at Marist College. He has also been a visiting professor at Bates College in Maine as well as Montana State University. Prior to pursuing an academic career, Dr. Black served as an Economic Analyst for the Washington State Department of Ecology where he conducted analyses of the economic impacts of environmental legislation. He has also worked for major oil producing firms in Wyoming and for smaller alternative energy development firms on projects in California, Nevada, and Montana. He is currently on the Board of Directors for a California firm specializing in geothermal and biomass electrical generation.

Education

Ph.D., Economics – University of Washington

MS, Earth Sciences – Montana State University

BS, Geology – University of the Pacific

Featured Publications

Black, D. Shropshire,  K. Araújo, and A. van Heek, (2022) Prospects for Nuclear Microreactors: A Review of the Technology, Economics, and Regulatory Considerations. Nuclear Technology, 208 (11).  https://doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2022.2118626

“Small Modular Reactors (SMR) Adoption, Opportunities and Challenges for Emerging Markets,” (G. Black, D. Shropshire, K. Araujo). Chapter 22 in Handbook of Small Modular Nuclear Reactors, Second Edition. Elsevier Publishing, 2020.

“Economic Viability of Light Water Small Modular Nuclear Reactors,” (G. Black, F. Aydogan, C. Koerner). Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 103 (1), April 2019.

“Deployment Indicators for Small Modular Reactors: Methodology, Analysis of Key Factors, and Case Studies.” (L. Ammirabile, L. Barkatullah, G. Black, et al). International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA-TECDOC-1854, 2018.

“Levelised Costs of Electricity: Small Modular Reactors and Comparisons with Other Power Generation Sources. Economic Evaluation Report for NuScale Power, LLC.” (G. Black, F. Aydogan, C. Koerner). Economic Policy Series, Center for Advanced Energy Studies. 2017.

“Economies of Small: Economic Evaluation Report for NuScale Power, LLC.” (G. Black, F. Aydogan, S. Peterson, W. Labor, D. Solan). Economic Policy Series, Center for Advanced Energy Studies. 2016.

“Cost Estimation of Small Modular Reactors,” (G. Black, D. Solan, C. Juchau). Economic Policy Series, Center for Advanced Energy Studies. 2015.

“Quantitative and Qualitative Comparison of Light Water and Advanced Small Modular Reactors (SMRs),” (F. Aydogan, G. Black, M. Black, D. Solan). Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science, vol. 1 (4), October 2015.

“Carbon Free Energy Development and the Role of Small Modular Reactors: A Review and Decision Framework for Deployment in Developing Countries,” (G. Black, M. Black, D. Solan, D. Shropshire). Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 43 (1), March 2015.

“Fiscal and Economic Impacts of State Incentives for Wind Energy Development in the Western United States,” (G. Black, D. Holley, D. Solan, M. Bergloff). Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 34 (2), June 2014.

“The Coasean Framework of the New York Watershed Agreement,” (G. Black, D.A. Dalton, S. Islam, A. Batteen). Cato Journal, vol. 34 (1), February 2014.

“Impacts 2010: The Economic Impact of the Idaho National Laboratory” (G. Black, D. Holley, J. Church). Report for Battelle Laboratories and the U.S. Department of Energy. 2011.

“Economic and Employment Impacts of Small Modular Nuclear Reactors” (D. Solan, G. Black, M. Louis, S. Peterson, L. Carter, B. Bills, B. Morton, E. Arthur). Economic Policy Series, Center for Advanced Energy Studies. 2010.

“Estimation of Agglomeration Economies: Federal Research Expenditures in the Rural West,” (G. Black, D. Holley, J. Church). Atlantic Economic Journal, vol. 32 (4), 2004.

“A Transaction Cost Model of Contract Choice,” (G. Black). International Advances in Economic Research, vol 8 (3), 2002.

“The Incentive Effect in Share Contracts: The Case of Finite Resources,” (G. Black). International Advances in Economic Research, vol 6 (3), 2000.

“Is Hotelling’s Rule Relevant to Domestic Oil Production?” (G. Black, J. LaFrance). Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, vol 36 (2), 1998.