Economics and Policy Solutions Group

Prof. Charles D. Kolstad

Solutions Group Head, Institute for Energy Efficiency

Professor, Bren School & Economics Department
University of California, Santa Barbara
 Why Economics & Policy?
IEE Goals:
•  IEE based on world-leading research in technologies that impact energy efficiency.
•  These activities will change the way people around the world think about, produce and use
energy for the emerging energy economy.

Economics & Policy Solutions Group Goals:

•  Identifying, understanding and breaking down barriers to adoption of specific technologies
•  Understanding behavior driving energy consumption, energy use and the acquisition of energy
using technology.
•  Understanding decision making in organizations regarding energy use and technology
adoption (where organizations include governments, nonprofits, corporations and households)
•  Developing and evaluating policies to facilitate the adoption of
energy efficient technologies

Leading Global Energy Solutions

 Why Economics & Policy?
IEE Goals:
•  IEE based on world-leading research in technologies that impact energy efficiency.
•  These activities will change the way people around the world think about, produce and use
energy for the emerging energy economy.

Economics & Policy Solutions Group Goals:

•  Identifying, understanding and breaking down barriers to adoption of specific technologies
•  Understanding behavior driving energy consumption, energy use and the acquisition of energy
using technology.
•  Understanding decision making in organizations regarding energy use and technology
adoption (where organizations include governments, nonprofits, corporations and households)
•  Developing and evaluating policies to facilitate the adoption of
energy efficient technologies

Bottom Line:
•  Energy use and technology adoption is, ultimately, an economic question
within a policy context

Leading Global Energy Solutions

 Some of our Current and Pending Projects

•  Does daylight savings time save energy and if so,

by how much?

Leading Global Energy Solutions

 A Natural Experiment
Energy Policy Act of 2005 Changed DST

Leading Global Energy Solutions

 Some of our Current and Pending Projects

•  Does daylight savings time save energy and if so,

by how much?

•  Who ultimately bears the burden of a carbon tax?

Leading Global Energy Solutions

 Some of our Current and Pending Projects

•  Does daylight savings time save energy and if so,

by how much?

•  Who ultimately bears the burden of a carbon tax?

•  Assessing viability of new technology for CO2

sequestration from flue gas

Leading Global Energy Solutions

 Some of our Current and Pending Projects

•  Does daylight savings time save energy and if so,

by how much?

•  Who ultimately bears the burden of a carbon tax?

•  Assessing viability of new technology for CO2

sequestration from flue gas

•  The Rebound Effect

Leading Global Energy Solutions

 Some of our Current and Pending Projects

•  Does daylight savings time save energy and if so,

by how much?

•  Who ultimately bears the burden of a carbon tax?

•  Assessing viability of new technology for CO2

sequestration from flue gas

•  The Rebound Effect

•  Evaluating the economic benefits of energy

technology R&D

Leading Global Energy Solutions

 Other Solutions Group Efforts

•  Extensive visitors program

•  Targeted grand challenges

•  Research by UCSB and other UC faculty

•  Postdoctoral Program

•  Incentives for graduate student research

•  Connections to government and private sector

R&D efforts

Leading Global Energy Solutions

Leading Global Energy Solutions

UC Santa Barbara