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Stuck in the past: Energy performance certificates hold back heat decarbonisation

By Jan Rosenow
In 2014, we bought an old Victorian house in Oxford, UK, well aware it needed major renovation work. Our energy performance certificate (EPC), which shows the energy performance of a building, was a poor grade “E” on a scale of A to G, with A being the highest performing category. We have since carried out a major refurbishment programme, installing underfloo... Read More

Emissionspreise sind nicht alles

By Louise Sunderland, Andreas Jahn
Preise für Emissionen sind nicht alles, vielmehr ist die sinnvolle Verwendung der Einnahmen entscheidend. Schlüssig belegt ist, dass Energieeffizienzprogramme gut abschneiden. Auch das Ordnungsrecht – zum Beispiel Mindeststandards – helfe bei der Einhaltung der Klimaziele. Das Klimapaket der Bundesregierung ist derzeit in aller Munde. Wie auch die darin ... Read More

“电力期刊”(The Electricity Journal)睿博能源智库特刊简介

By John Shenot
美国是全世界温室气体排放第二大国,同时也是技术和经济实力的领头羊。美国有能力引领世界寻找应对气候变化紧迫挑战的解决方案,同时迅速彻底地完成自我脱碳。 为了使能源消费向更清洁、更具成本效益的方向转变,我们需要零碳发电技术,并在使用化石燃料的终端�... Read More

Value Added: Measuring the Health Benefits of the “Layer Cake”

By Jim Lazar, Nancy Seidman
In 2013, RAP released a pathbreaking publication, Recognizing the Full Value of Energy Efficiency. We refer to the main concept of this paper as "the layer cake," after its centerpiece concept analogizing the multiple benefits of energy efficiency as layers in a cake. Health benefits, both for individual participants in an efficiency program and for society as a ... Read More

The UK’s August 9 blackout: Why did it happen and what can we learn?

By Philip Baker
The power outages that occurred in the United Kingdom on August 9 demonstrated our increasing dependence on secure electricity supplies and the extremely disruptive consequences when those supplies fail. The reasons for the extent of the disruption to transport and other critical infrastructure are beyond the scope of this blog. However, an examination of the eve... Read More

Clean, Flexible and Efficient: A Recipe for Energy Optimization

By John Shenot
The United States is the second-highest emitter of greenhouse gases on the planet — but we are also a leader in technological and economic strength. We have the capability to lead the world in finding solutions to the urgent challenge of climate change — while rapidly and thoroughly decarbonizing ourselves. To move our energy use to a cleaner and more cost... Read More

Markets Learning Hub: Understanding India’s Coming Wholesale Market Reforms

By Dheer Patel, Joni Sliger
India’s wholesale electricity markets are on a path toward key market design reforms with the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) proposing the framework and draft amendments for a real-time market. These reforms have the potential to substantially improve the efficiency of the power sector. A series of discussion papers CERC published on real-time... Read More

Electric Cars Are a Lot Like Water Heaters

By Jim Lazar
People unfamiliar with electric cars often fear that a blossoming of EV ownership will bring chaos to the electric grid. For example, I recently spoke with the manager of a beach resort who was fearful of adding an EV charger, thinking it would create a huge additional power load. She didn’t realize that even a minor impact is largely avoidable. How can this... Read More

美国电力监管点评 — 当各州监管权遇到跨区电力市场:界线在哪?

By Michael Hogan
原则上,美国跨州电力批发市场由联邦能源监管委员会(FERC)监管,而电力零售市场由各州监管。各州监管权界限问题也历经漫长而动荡的过程。随着电力批发市场的演化,虽然州权力的争执对有组织的批发电力市场构不成重大影响,但州权与电力批发市场监管的界线却偶有�... Read More

A Trans-Atlantic Take on Building Efficiency: Lessons from Germany and New England

By David Farnsworth, Jan Rosenow
Despite being an ocean apart, Germany and New England are similar in many respects. More than 75% of energy used for residential heat in both places relies on natural gas or heating oil. And both have adopted ambitious energy and climate goals — Germany committing to cutting carbon emissions from buildings by two-thirds below 1990 levels by 2030, and the New En... Read More