Energy Conservation in the United States: Understanding its Role in Climate Policy
Abstract in HTML and technical report in PDF available on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change website (http://mit.edu/globalchange/www/).
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Technical Report |
| Language: | en_US |
| Published: |
MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change
2006
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| Online Access: | http://mit.edu/globalchange/www/abstracts.html#a138 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33955 |
| _version_ | 1826193552716070912 |
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| author | Metcalf, Gilbert E. |
| author_facet | Metcalf, Gilbert E. |
| author_sort | Metcalf, Gilbert E. |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Abstract in HTML and technical report in PDF available on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change website (http://mit.edu/globalchange/www/). |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T09:40:56Z |
| format | Technical Report |
| id | mit-1721.1/33955 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | en_US |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T09:40:56Z |
| publishDate | 2006 |
| publisher | MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/339552019-04-12T08:35:57Z Energy Conservation in the United States: Understanding its Role in Climate Policy Metcalf, Gilbert E. Abstract in HTML and technical report in PDF available on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change website (http://mit.edu/globalchange/www/). Efforts to reduce carbon emissions significantly will require considerable improvements in energy intensity, the ratio of energy consumption to economic activity. Improvements in energy intensity over the past thirty years suggest great possibilities for energy conservation: current annual energy consumption avoided due to declines in energy intensity since 1970 substantially exceed current annual domestic energy supply. While historic improvements in energy intensity suggest great scope for energy conservation in the future, I argue that estimates of avoided energy costs due to energy conservation are overly optimistic. Avoided costs are likely to be significantly higher than estimates from recent energy technology studies suggest once behavioral responses are taken into account. I then analyze a data set on energy intensity in the United States at the state level between 1970 and 2001 to disentangle the key elements of energy efficiency and economic activity that drive changes in energy intensity. Rising per capita income plays an important role in lower energy intensity. Higher energy prices also are important. Price and income predominantly influence intensity through changes in energy efficiency rather than through changes in economic activity. This study was supported in part by the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change, which is supported by a consortium of government, industry and foundation sponsors. 2006-08-28T20:26:54Z 2006-08-28T20:26:54Z 2006-08 Technical Report http://mit.edu/globalchange/www/abstracts.html#a138 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33955 Report no. 138 en_US Report no. 138 482561 bytes application/pdf application/pdf MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change |
| spellingShingle | Metcalf, Gilbert E. Energy Conservation in the United States: Understanding its Role in Climate Policy |
| title | Energy Conservation in the United States: Understanding its Role in Climate Policy |
| title_full | Energy Conservation in the United States: Understanding its Role in Climate Policy |
| title_fullStr | Energy Conservation in the United States: Understanding its Role in Climate Policy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Energy Conservation in the United States: Understanding its Role in Climate Policy |
| title_short | Energy Conservation in the United States: Understanding its Role in Climate Policy |
| title_sort | energy conservation in the united states understanding its role in climate policy |
| url | http://mit.edu/globalchange/www/abstracts.html#a138 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33955 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT metcalfgilberte energyconservationintheunitedstatesunderstandingitsroleinclimatepolicy |