Full Title: Advances in Evaluating Energy Efficiency Policies and Programs
Author(s): Kenneth Gillingham, Amelia Keyes, and Karen Palmer
Publisher(s): Resources for the Future
Publication Date: February 1, 2018
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Description (excerpt):
This paper reviews the recent evidence on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of energy
efficiency interventions. After a brief review of explanations for the energy efficiency gap, we explore
key issues in energy efficiency evaluation, including the use of randomized controlled trials and
incentives faced by those performing evaluations. We provide a summary table of energy savings results
by type of efficiency intervention. We also develop an updated aggregate estimate of 2.8 cents per
kilowatt hour (kWh) of net savings from utility energy efficiency programs, but note that this estimate is
based on aggregate utility-reported energy savings. Our review of the economics literature suggests that
energy savings are often smaller than implied by utility-reported results, but some interventions appear to
be cost-effective relative to the marginal cost of electricity supply.