1 Koomey Information

Please read the linked chapter below and answer the following questions.

  • Briefly describe a professional or personal example of the cycle described in Figure 3.5. If you can, describe the evaluation process, or how you compared the results to your goals.
  • Optional: Think and write about how this experience could be transferred to an energy intervention.

Koomey Chapter 3 Information

2 Gertler Why Evaluate

Please read the linked chapter below and answer the following questions.

  • Provide an example of a policy that you think is evidence-based. What leads you to your conclusion?
  • Provide an example of a policy that you do not think is evidence-based. How could it be improved?

Gertler Chapter 1 Why Evaluate

3 Energy Comparison

Describe a potential energy comparison or evaluation by answering each of these questions.

  • What is the object you are measuring (building, solar panel, etc.)
  • What characteristic of the object are you measuring (energy consumption, cost, etc.)
  • What is the overall population of objects (town, category, etc.)
  • What is the basis of comparison (before/after energy upgrade, different policies, etc.)
  • What difference do you expect to see?

4 Gertler Preparing for an Evaluation

Please read the linked chapter and answer the following questions.

  • Imagine and describe a brief results chain for one of the policies we’ve looked at in class.

Gertler Chapter 2 Preparing for an Evaluation

5 LEED Review Paper

Please read the linked article on LEED certification and energy efficiency and answer the following questions.

  • What comparisons were made in the cited papers? Do you think the buildings in the comparisons were sufficiently similar to be useful?
  • Why is source energy vs site energy important? Do either of these accurately reflect carbon emissions?

Are LEED-Certified Buildings Energy-Efficient in Practice?

6 PACE Loan Article

Please read the linked articles below and answer the following questions.

  • The article on the Missouri program focuses on a few example homeowners. What additional data would you want to gather to determine how fair the program was overall?
  • Can you propose any of the energy metrics we have covered that could be used to make sure the policy delivers the intended benefits?

Articles:

7 Gertler Causal Inference and Counterfactuals

Please read the linked chapter on inference and counterfactuals. The chapter mentions two comparisons groups that could lead to a counterfeit counterfactual, before-and-after comparisons and enrolled-and-nonenrolled comparisons.

  • Why might a before-and-after comparison be a poor choice for an energy intervention?
  • Why might an enrolled-and-nonenrolled comparison be a poor choice for an energy intervention?
  • Can you come up with a hypothetical energy example for each of these that illustrates the potential problem?

Gertler Chapter 3 Causal Inference and Counterfactuals

8 Net Energy Metering Changes

Please read this article on the new solar tariffs and answer the following questions.

  • What are the major differences between NEM 2.0 and NEM 3.0/NBT?
  • How is the avoided cost concept we studied used in the new rules?

9 SSU Policy Feasibility Proposal

Imagine that the university has contracted our class to propose renewable energy policy and conduct feasibility studies of those policies. As part of the class, you are asked to propose a policy and a method to estimate the technical and financial benefits of the program. In a 300-word report, describe the proposed policy, the potential benefits of the policy for various stakeholders, and a method to provide evidence of the potential benefits. Use concepts from class that are relevant in your plan to quantify benefits; you aren’t required to perform any estimations but specify methods and data sources you’d need.

Example policy topics include: rooftop solar, parking lot solar, storage for balancing or arbitrage, direct solar daylighting, direct solar heating, solar water heating, time-of-use incentives to maximize renewables. Example concepts include levelized cost of energy, avoided cost, carbon emissions, energy generation, power generation, stakeholder lists, reliability, resilience, peak sun hours, and time-of-use tariffs.

For full credit:

  • Clearly articulate the policy proposal
  • Meet word count
  • Demonstrate an understanding of relevant class topics