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| Lisa Schwartz August 2010 |
| PDF 294 KB |
This paper accompanies Lisa Schwartz's
presentation on the connections between smart grid and customer-side energy resources (energy efficiency, demand response, distributed generation and energy storage) and the policies needed to ensure customer and environmental benefits. The presentation was made at the 2010 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings. This paper will be published in the conference proceedings.
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| RAP Research Staff August 2010 |
| PDF 227 KB |
RAP's research staff prepared this summary of Emissions Performance Standards (EPS) that have been adopted by various states in the US. It is designed to provide a comparative summary of key EPS components rather than attempt to evaluate the relative merits of the alternative policies discussed in the summary. Each of the state summaries includes links to applicable laws and rules. (This version updates an earlier RAP paper of the same title published in November 2009).
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| Rebecca Schultz June 2010 |
| PDF 54 KB |
The significance of China's new regional air quality management (RAQM) regulation, approved by China's State Council on May 11, 2010, is outlined in this two-page RAP briefing paper. |
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| Western Climate Initiative May 2010 |
| PDF 499 KB |
RAP serves as a technical advisor to the Complementary Policies Committee of the Western Climate Initiative (WCI), and assisted in the preparation of this report. Complementary policies can address market barriers that would otherwise limit the use of low-cost greenhouse gas (GHG) emission-reduction options and reduce emissions from sources excluded from the cap-and-trade program. Thus, complementary policies can lower the overall cost of reducing GHG emissions. The charge of the Committee is to recommend to the WCI partner jurisdictions those policies that would help achieve the regional emissions reduction goals and assist with the transition to a low-carbon economy.
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| Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) May 2010 |
| PDF 898 KB |
Compendium of Best Practices is the result of extensive outreach, data gathering, and analysis conducted to identify leading state and local-level best practices in energy efficiency and renewable energy in the United States. The report describes more than 20 practices and includes examples of their effective implementation in states or cities. Policies, financing mechanisms, and other initiatives are highlighted for their success in creating favorable market conditions for energy efficiency and renewable energy, as well as for their replicability, relative ease of implementation, measured energy savings, ability to offset the need for conventional energy, cost effectiveness, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, and job creation. Exemplary local governments from across the United States share the key elements of their programs, their lessons learned, and the factors in their programs' successes. RAP's Wayne Shirley and Rick Weston were among those who provided support to the authors. |
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| Lisa Schwartz May 2010 |
| PDF 390 KB |
Describes conservation voltage reduction on utility distribution systems today and how smart grid may be used to optimize voltage and var control and increase energy savings. Raises questions that public utility commissions and stakeholders can ask if they want smart grid investments to improve distribution system efficiency. Provides preliminary answers to these questions based on the status of smart grid technologies at this time. |
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| Meg Gottstein and Lisa Schwartz May 2010 |
| PDF 3 MB |
This policy paper, incorporated into the European Union's Roadmap 2050 Report, explains auction-based forward capacity markets and their role in addressing resource adequancy in the power sector. Early experience in the United States suggests that these markets have the potential to play a supporting role in delivering capacity from low-carbon, demand-side resources, including energy efficiency. However, auction results to date also suggest that these markets encourage the construction or continued operation of high-emitting supply-side resources to meet reliability targets. Market design improvements and additional policies can serve to better align these capacity markets with carbon reduction goals. |
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| Chris James, Rebecca Schultz, The Regulatory Assistance Project; Jean-Marie Rambaud, European Federation of Clean Air & Environmental Protection Associations; James Lents, International Sustainable Systems Research Center; Zhao Lijian, Hu Min, The Energy March 2010 |
| PDF 186 KB |
Decades of experience in regional environmental planning in the US and EU have produced lessons that can help China’s policymakers and regulators learn from demonstrated successes, avoid failings, and take advantage of timely opportunities to leapfrog antiquated and costly practices, particularly in light of new challenges posed by global warming emissions. This paper, providing input for China’s efforts to establish a system of regional air quality management (RAQM), was presented at the International Workshop on Joint Prevention and Control of Regional Air Pollution in China, organized by China's Ministry of Environmental Protection.
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| Blair Hamilton February 2010 |
| PDF 1 MB |
Carbon emissions from existing homes represent as much as 25% of total emissions in many
countries and are an increasing focus of national and local climate initiatives. Recognizing
that efficiency is both a least‐cost emission reduction strategy and that achieving widely
accepted climate goals will likely require massive de‐carbonization of the building sector,
there is high interest in policy and program options that address existing homes.
This report presents a high‐level comparison of current public energy efficiency
programs for existing homes in eleven countries. Prepared for the Department of Energy and Climate Change of the United Kingdom.
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| David Farnsworth, Edith Pike-Biegunska and Liz Baldwin February 2010 |
| PDF 170 KB |
This document reviews activity in six Midwestern states: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. We endeavor to provide examples of the efforts that these states have undertaken to confront the challenge of climate change and to formulate policies that will develop cleaner and more sustainable energy sectors. The discussion is organized by state and focuses primarily on legislation, climate action plans, and administrative activity related to the deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy. |
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