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Energy Efficiency Modeling and Resource AssessmentsEconomic and Social Analysis ProgramOur goal is to improve and refine the knowledge and understanding of policymakers and practitioners regarding the economic, social, and behavioral aspects of energy consumption, production, efficiency, and conservation in order to accelerate our nation's transition to an energy-efficient and low-carbon economy. Our program team's work is primarily focused on providing policy and program research, economic modeling and forecasts, and social and behavioral analysis of energy and climate problems. The urgency of this work is underscored by the reality that today's energy and climate policies will shape our access to energy, our livelihoods, and the quality of the natural environment in profound ways for decades to come. White Papers NEW! Pursuing Energy-Efficient Behavior in a Regulatory Environment: Motivating Policymakers, Program Administrators, and Program Implementers - Karen Ehrhardt-Martinez, John A. “Skip” Laitner, and Kenneth M. Keating, November 2009 This white paper examines how policymakers, program administrators, and program implementers can be motivated to pursue behavioral change in a regulatory environment. For the purposes of this paper, behavior change is defined rather broadly, encompassing both behaviors associated with the purchase and installation of energy efficiency technologies as well as behaviors, decisions, and actions that might be thought of as more independent of technology. The latter include energy use habits, lifestyle choices, and consumption patterns. The insights and lessons discussed in this paper are drawn from a wide variety of sources including interviews with representatives from the energy and utility communities, as well as program documentation for energy-related programs and projects. The paper also draws from information on non-energy related programs that operate within a similar environment, and publications that explore the effective strategies of high-performance government organizations. In assessing the potential contributions from integrating behavioral change into regulatory programs, the research clearly indicates that policymakers and program managers are already motivated to pursue behavior change strategies, but that a variety of factors have worked to deter them from pursuing these strategies as a means of achieving cost-effective reductions in energy consumption. Overcoming those barriers could provide significant and sizeable energy savings. In fact, recent estimates suggest that savings in the residential sector alone could be on the order of 25 percent of current household energy use. NEW! The Climate Imperative and Innovative Behavior: Encouraging Greater Advances in the Production of Energy-Efficient Technologies and Services - John A. “Skip” Laitner, Karen Ehrhardt-Martinez, and Chris Poland Knight, November 2009 This white paper examines why a larger array of innovative institutions, behaviors, technologies, and services is needed – specifically in the context of what we call “the climate imperative.” We explore possible mechanisms that could encourage the more robust development of innovative programs and policies within the State of California, with special attention to the activities of the California Public Utilities Commission. The potential for future innovation is described in the context of California’s impressive past technological and institutional achievements, especially as they impact energy efficiency improvements and energy policy more broadly. Notwithstanding its past achievements, we contend that if the Golden State is to meet the climate imperative head-on it will need to promote significantly greater levels of innovation in the development of new ideas, new services, and new technologies – and do so at a scale that has not been previously imagined or managed. This will demand innovation in all four stages of the technology development pipeline. This paper is divided into four sections. The first two are the introduction and history of energy efficiency-related innovation in California. The main body of the paper identifies five large themes: (i) advancing ideas throughout the entire four-stage development pipeline, (ii) providing a compelling narrative, (iii) encouraging collaboration and interaction, (iv) exercising “solution swarming” techniques, and (v) directing what we might call “purposeful innovation.” All are relevant to addressing the climate imperative. We further contend that a full exploration of these five themes could yield valuable additional insights for the state of California and for the nation as a whole. We conclude with five specific “next-step” recommendations derived from this larger review. Activities — Economic Analysis
Activities — Social Analysis
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