Recent Projects

The Department of Energy (DOE) proposed changes to the Process Rule for prescribing energy conservation standards. We submitted comments and additional comments explaining how certain proposed changes violate both DOE's statutory mandate and the principles of rational rulemaking. We emphasize that the significance of energy savings must be weighed by considering all important costs and benefits.

The Department of Energy (DOE) recently asked for input on energy conservation standards for certain electrical grid equipment. We submitted comments encouraging DOE to continue monetizing the full climate benefits of greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

The Iowa Utilities Board is currently reviewing its policies on energy efficiency planning. We submitted comments supporting some of the suggestions made by stakeholders to better gauge the benefits of the energy efficiency programs.

The Department of Energy called for input on developing and analyzing energy conservation standards for small electric motors. We submitted comments encouraging DOE to account for the monetized climate benefits of greenhouse gas emissions using social cost of carbon estimates.

PJM, the regional organization that manages wholesale electricity and the transmission grid in 13 eastern states, recently proposed a number of changes to its operating reserve market in an effort to improve its pricing mechanism. We submitted comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) supporting PJM’s proposal and recommending additional changes.

Georgia Power Company recently published its 2019 electric utility resource plan, which includes projected future costs of different energy generation programs. We submitted comments asking that Georgia Power more clearly quantify and monetize the greenhouse gas emissions of electricity generation alternatives.

We recently encouraged the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to clarify aspects of its new process for evaluating the social costs and benefits of energy resources. As we discussed in prior comments, the proposed analysis framework, the Societal Cost Test (SCT), will help the Commission to make investments that provide the greatest welfare benefits. Our new comments ask CPUC to provide some additional information in the SCT proposal.

The Department of Energy (DOE) recently issued a request for information on the energy conservation standards for direct heating equipment. We submitted comments that advise the Department to monetize climate benefits from greenhouse gas emissions reductions and discuss market-based approaches to energy conservation standards.