IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/aea/aejapp/v12y2020i1p115-39.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Do Energy Efficiency Investments Deliver at the Right Time?

Author

Listed:
  • Judson Boomhower
  • Lucas Davis

Abstract

Most analyses of energy efficiency investments ignore that the value of electricity varies widely across hours. We show how much timing matters. Using novel hourly consumption data from an air conditioner rebate program in California, we find that energy savings are concentrated in high-value hours. This significantly increases the value of these investments, especially after we account for the large capacity payments that electricity generators receive to guarantee supply in peak hours. We then use engineering predictions to calculate timing premiums for a wide range of energy efficiency investments, finding substantial variation in economic value across investments.

Suggested Citation

  • Judson Boomhower & Lucas Davis, 2020. "Do Energy Efficiency Investments Deliver at the Right Time?," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 12(1), pages 115-139, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejapp:v:12:y:2020:i:1:p:115-39
    DOI: 10.1257/app.20170505
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.aeaweb.org/doi/10.1257/app.20170505
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.aeaweb.org/doi/10.1257/app.20170505.data
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.aeaweb.org/doi/10.1257/app.20170505.appx
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.aeaweb.org/doi/10.1257/app.20170505.ds
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to AEA members and institutional subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1257/app.20170505?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kevin Novan & Aaron Smith, 2018. "The Incentive to Overinvest in Energy Efficiency: Evidence from Hourly Smart-Meter Data," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 5(3), pages 577-605.
    2. Meredith Fowlie & Michael Greenstone & Catherine Wolfram, 2018. "Do Energy Efficiency Investments Deliver? Evidence from the Weatherization Assistance Program," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 133(3), pages 1597-1644.
    3. Rema Hanna & Esther Duflo & Michael Greenstone, 2016. "Up in Smoke: The Influence of Household Behavior on the Long-Run Impact of Improved Cooking Stoves," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 8(1), pages 80-114, February.
    4. Ted Gayer & W. Viscusi, 2013. "Overriding consumer preferences with energy regulations," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 248-264, June.
    5. Lucas W. Davis & Alan Fuchs & Paul Gertler, 2014. "Cash for Coolers: Evaluating a Large-Scale Appliance Replacement Program in Mexico," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 6(4), pages 207-238, November.
    6. Gilbert E. Metcalf & Kevin A. Hassett, 1999. "Measuring The Energy Savings From Home Improvement Investments: Evidence From Monthly Billing Data," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 81(3), pages 516-528, August.
    7. Jeffrey A. Dubin & Allen K. Miedema & Ram V. Chandran, 1986. "Price Effects of Energy-Efficient Technologies: A Study of Residential Demand for Heating and Cooling," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 17(3), pages 310-325, Autumn.
    8. Paul L. Joskow & Donald B. Marron, 1992. "What Does a Negawatt Really Cost? Evidence from Utility Conservation Programs," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 4), pages 41-74.
    9. Severin Borenstein, 2005. "The Long-Run Efficiency of Real-Time Electricity Pricing," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 3), pages 93-116.
    10. Stephen P. Holland & Erin T. Mansur, 2006. "The Short-Run Effects of Time-Varying Prices in Competitive Electricity Markets," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 4), pages 127-156.
    11. Boomhower, Judson & Davis, Lucas W., 2014. "A credible approach for measuring inframarginal participation in energy efficiency programs," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 67-79.
    12. Lucas W. Davis, 2008. "Durable goods and residential demand for energy and water: evidence from a field trial," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 39(2), pages 530-546, June.
    13. Bushnell, James, 2005. "Electricity Resource Adequacy: Matching Policies and Goals," The Electricity Journal, Elsevier, vol. 18(8), pages 11-21, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Hammerle, Mara & Burke, Paul J., 2022. "From natural gas to electric appliances: Energy use and emissions implications in Australian homes," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    2. Granderson, Jessica & Fernandes, Samuel & Touzani, Samir & Lee, Chih-Cheng & Crowe, Eliot & Sheridan, Margaret, 2020. "Spatio-temporal impacts of a utility’s efficiency portfolio on the distribution grid," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).
    3. Chaudhuri, Kausik & Huaccha, Gissell, 2023. "Who bears the energy cost? Local income deprivation and the household energy efficiency gap," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(PA).
    4. Hyun, Suk & Taghizadeh-Hesary, Farhad & Shim, Hyoung Suk, 2021. "Modeling solar energy system demand using household-level data in Myanmar," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 629-639.
    5. Gosnell, Greer & McCoy, Daire, 2023. "Market failures and willingness to accept smart meters: Experimental evidence from the UK," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    6. Andrew J. Satchwell & Peter A. Cappers & Jeff Deason & Sydney P. Forrester & Natalie Mims Frick & Brian F. Gerke & Mary Ann Piette, 2020. "A Conceptual Framework to Describe Energy Efficiency and Demand Response Interactions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-14, August.
    7. Andrius Kažukauskas & Thomas Broberg & Jūratė Jaraitė, 2021. "Social Comparisons in Real Time: A Field Experiment of Residential Electricity and Water Use," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 123(2), pages 558-592, April.
    8. Qiu, Yueming & Kahn, Matthew E. & Xing, Bo, 2019. "Quantifying the rebound effects of residential solar panel adoption," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 310-341.
    9. Ekaterina Alekhanova, 2023. "Summertime Sadness: Time Sensitivity of Electricity Savings from a Behavioral Nudge," Carleton Economic Papers 23-01, Carleton University, Department of Economics, revised 11 Nov 2023.
    10. Huaccha, Gissell, 2023. "Regional persistence of the energy efficiency gap: Evidence from England and Wales," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(PA).
    11. Fiona Burlig & Christopher Knittel & David Rapson & Mar Reguant & Catherine Wolfram, 2020. "Machine Learning from Schools about Energy Efficiency," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 7(6), pages 1181-1217.
    12. Hancevic, Pedro I. & Sandoval, Hector H., 2022. "Low-income energy efficiency programs and energy consumption," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    13. Adler, David & Severnini, Edson, 2023. "Timing matters: Intra-day shifts of economic activity and ambient ozone concentrations," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    14. Massimo Filippini & Lin Zhang, 2019. "Impacts of heat metering and efficiency retrofit policy on residential energy consumption in China," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 21(2), pages 203-216, April.
    15. Bircan, Çağatay & Wirsching, Elisa, 2023. "Daylight saving all year round? Evidence from a national experiment," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(PB).
    16. Jing Liang & Yueming Qiu & Bo Xing, 2021. "Social Versus Private Benefits of Energy Efficiency Under Time-of-Use and Increasing Block Pricing," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 78(1), pages 43-75, January.
    17. Adler, David & Severnini, Edson R., 2020. "Timing Matters: Shifting Economic Activity and Intra-Day Variation in Ambient Ozone Concentrations," IZA Discussion Papers 13428, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    18. Bu, Caiqi & Zhang, Kaixia & Shi, Daqian & Wang, Shuyu, 2022. "Does environmental information disclosure improve energy efficiency?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Davis, Lucas & Martinez, Sebastian & Taboada, Bibiana, 2018. "How Effective is Energy-efficient Housing?: Evidence From a Field Experiment in Mexico," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 8767, Inter-American Development Bank.
    2. Davis, Lucas W. & Martinez, Sebastian & Taboada, Bibiana, 2020. "How effective is energy-efficient housing? Evidence from a field trial in Mexico," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    3. Meredith Fowlie & Michael Greenstone & Catherine Wolfram, 2018. "Do Energy Efficiency Investments Deliver? Evidence from the Weatherization Assistance Program," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 133(3), pages 1597-1644.
    4. Lang, Ghislaine & Lanz, Bruno, 2022. "Climate policy without a price signal: Evidence on the implicit carbon price of energy efficiency in buildings," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    5. Kenichi Mizobuchi & Kenji Takeuchi, 2016. "The Rebound Effect in Residential Electricity Use: Evidence from a Propensity Score Matching Estimator," Discussion Papers 1639, Graduate School of Economics, Kobe University.
    6. Ben Gilbert & Jacob LaRiviere & Kevin Novan, 2019. "Additionality, Mistakes, and Energy Efficiency Investment," Working Papers 2019-01, Colorado School of Mines, Division of Economics and Business.
    7. Giraudet, Louis-Gaëtan, 2020. "Energy efficiency as a credence good: A review of informational barriers to energy savings in the building sector," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    8. Louis-Gaëtan Giraudet & Antoine Missemer, 2019. "The Economics of Energy Efficiency, a Historical Perspective," CIRED Working Papers halshs-02301636, HAL.
    9. Louis-Gaëtan Giraudet & Antoine Missemer, 2023. "The History of Energy Efficiency in Economics: Breakpoints and Regularities," Post-Print halshs-02301636, HAL.
    10. Ensieh Shojaeddini & Ben Gilbert, 2023. "Heterogeneity in the Rebound Effect: Evidence from Efficient Lighting Subsidies," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 84(1), pages 173-217, January.
    11. Hunt Allcott & Michael Greenstone, 2012. "Is There an Energy Efficiency Gap?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 26(1), pages 3-28, Winter.
    12. Lucas W. Davis & Alan Fuchs & Paul J. Gertler, 2012. "Cash for Coolers," NBER Working Papers 18044, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. Lucas W. Davis & Alan Fuchs & Paul Gertler, 2014. "Cash for Coolers: Evaluating a Large-Scale Appliance Replacement Program in Mexico," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 6(4), pages 207-238, November.
    14. Kenneth Gillingham & Karen Palmer, 2014. "Bridging the Energy Efficiency Gap: Policy Insights from Economic Theory and Empirical Evidence," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 8(1), pages 18-38, January.
    15. Hancevic, Pedro I. & Sandoval, Hector H., 2022. "Low-income energy efficiency programs and energy consumption," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    16. Joshua Graff Zivin and Kevin Novan, 2016. "Upgrading Efficiency and Behavior: Electricity Savings from Residential Weatherization Programs," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 4).
    17. Kenichi Mizobuchi & Kenji Takeuchi, 2019. "Rebound effect across seasons: evidence from the replacement of air conditioners in Japan," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 21(1), pages 123-140, January.
    18. Louis-Gaëtan Giraudet & Antoine Missemer, 2019. "The Economics of Energy Efficiency, a Historical Perspective," Working Papers halshs-02301636, HAL.
    19. Munyehirwe, Anicet & Peters, Jörg & Sievert, Maximiliane & Bulte, Erwin H. & Fiala, Nathan, 2022. "Energy efficiency and local rebound effects: Theory and experimental evidence from Rwanda," Ruhr Economic Papers 934, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    20. Todd D. Gerarden & Richard G. Newell & Robert N. Stavins, 2017. "Assessing the Energy-Efficiency Gap," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 55(4), pages 1486-1525, December.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • L94 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Electric Utilities
    • L98 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Government Policy
    • Q41 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Demand and Supply; Prices
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:aea:aejapp:v:12:y:2020:i:1:p:115-39. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Michael P. Albert (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/aeaaaea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.