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When households face conditions of energy insecurity, they may qualify and receive assistance from the federal government through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) program. This program, however, has traditionally been underfunded, leaving a large percentage of potentially eligible households without assistance. Even households that do receive assistance may still have excessive utility bills and energy burden and need other supports that help them address these conditions. Utilities and state utility commissions frequently offer complementary programs through bill assistance, bill adjustments, and debt forgiveness. This review article synthesizes the literature on alternative rate and pricing structures and arrearage management meant to provide energy insecure households in the United States with relief from utility bills and accumulated utility bill debt. We identify beneficial strategies for program design to complement LIHEAP in mitigating energy burdens, as well as how application may lead to unintended and potentially negative consequences. We evaluate these programs along several dimensions to characterize their benefits and drawbacks, including how they address key criteria toward alleviation of energy insecurity. We conclude with a discussion of potential future research topics that can advance our understanding of program design and use for utility bill and debt relief. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Decision makers may emulate policies used in similar countries to reduce political risk of untested policies. • Countries' actual use of these strategies to reduce political risk can vary by policy or country type. • Countries tend to emulate renewable energy policies of countries with similar electric sector conditions. • Countries reduce political risk by emulating policies of politically similar countries for some policies but not others. • Developing countries are more likely to adopt the policies of donors who provide aid for development. The international environmental community and many donor countries have encouraged developing countries to adopt renewable energy (RE) policies that will encourage low-carbon energy development. While the drivers of RE policy adoption have been well-studied in the U.S. and Europe, we know little about the factors that drive RE policy adoption in developing countries. Both theory and anecdotal evidence suggest that policies often spread when one country emulates another's policy, but scholars of policy diffusion have tended to focus on emulation of political and ideological peers, overlooking other factors that may be particularly critical for driving RE policy adoption, including emulation of peers with similar electric sector conditions and emulation that is driven by coercive donor-recipient aid relationships. We use a directed dyadic analysis to assess the factors that prompt a country to emulate another's policies and to determine whether emulation patterns differ across developed and developing countries. We find that both sets of countries tend to emulate the policies of their political peers, and that developing countries tend to emulate the policies of donors. The effect of electric sector similarities varies by policy type. Countries emulate feed-in tariffs of countries with similar electric sector conditions, but they emulate quota policies of countries with dissimilar levels of reliance on renewable energy. Results suggest that different policies may diffuse via different emulation patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We study how to intent to purchase plug-in electric vehicles has changed over time, from 2011 to 2017. • Evaluate the importance of benefits and barriers, trialability, and observability over time. • Use two national surveys of potential car buyers in the 21 largest American cities. • Find that intent to purchase has increased, driven by changes in perceptions about relative advantages. • Other important factors include previous ownership, social influence, and charging infrastructure. The diffusion of plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) is a topic that has received substantial attention in recent years. In part, this heightened interest reflects rapid concurrent developments in policy, technology, and industry strategies designed to spur the uptake of this radical, emerging technology. Governments from all levels are enacting various monetary and non-monetary incentives to encourage PEV adoption; developments in battery technology are likening the performance of PEVs to conventional vehicles; and all major vehicle manufacturers now have a PEV offering. Ultimately, however, the effect of these developments is contingent upon consumer interest. Thus, in this paper we study whether, alongside technology and market developments, consumer interest in PEVs has changed over time. To answer this question, we evaluate the degree to which intent to purchase or lease a battery electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, respectively, has changed between 2011 and 2017, and how the factors that explain variation in such intent have also changed over time. Our data come from two national surveys of potential car buyers in the 21 largest American cities. Among the key findings that we derive from the analysis are that, among survey respondents, intent to purchase a PEV has increased between 2011 and 2017, and perceptions about the trialability, observability, network effects, and policies explain an increasing share of the variation in intent to purchase as time evolves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nevada’s recent overhaul of its net energy metering policy, which instituted a new net billing program in its place, underscores two key insights. First, decisions about whether net metering should continue separate from the design of a given program. From an institutional perspective, legislatures are best equipped to answer the first question; PUCs have comparative expertise on the second. Further, as net metering policies are likely to become more diverse across states over time, it is critical to maximize policy stability by using—rather than abdicating—grandfathering for existing customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper examines consumer stated intent to purchase plug-in electric vehicles and assesses the factors that increase or decrease interest. We surveyed adult drivers in large US cities in early fall 2011, before vehicle manufacturers and dealers began marketing campaigns. The survey responses thus document early impressions of this transport technology. We find that, given current battery technology and public perceptions, overall stated intent to purchase or lease electric vehicles is low. Interest in plug-in hybrid technology is somewhat greater than interest in all-electric technology. Consumers who express early interest in adopting electric vehicles are typically highly educated, previous owners of conventional hybrids, environmentally sensitive, and concerned about dependence on foreign oil. Enhanced fuel economy, the primary tangible advantage of plug-in technology, is recognized as favorable by respondents but fails to exert a strong influence on purchasing intentions. Interest in plug-in electric vehicles is shaped primarily by consumers’ perceptions of electric vehicle disadvantages. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The fields of economic development and energy policy and planning have converged in recent years to form an emerging discipline, which we term “energy-based economic development” (EBED). Despite the significant amount of stimulus funds, as well as state and local funding, that are being allocated to EBED initiatives in the United States, the emerging discipline has received scant attention in the energy, policy, and development literature. The link between energy and economic development in the literature is still theoretical, mostly focused on the need for and the potential benefits of EBED, and rarely applied. Furthermore, funding for EBED has outpaced understanding of the discipline, development of rigorous technical approaches, and meaningful ways to measure impact. Such information would not only help practitioners and policymakers more thoroughly understand the confines of the discipline and shape goals and approaches accordingly, but also help researchers identify, track, and evaluate a variety of activities in the field. With national and international attention focused on the convergence of these fields, researchers and practitioners have a rare opportunity to develop and implement the tools necessary to evaluate and communicate the potentially broader impacts that EBED may hold for society. If ways to leverage and sustain the injection of funds in this discipline are not identified, the opportunity may end before we can achieve either energy policy or economic development goals. In an attempt to respond to this need, this analysis explores the connection between energy and economic development, beginning with a review of the trends in each field and the goals that each seeks to achieve. On the basis of this information, we define the discipline of EBED, review the existing literature on it, and offer insights and perspectives on its emergence. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

When a household is energy burdened, its members may struggle to pay its energy bills and face the potential of service disconnection. While such conditions can inflict mental and physical harm on household members, more significant consequences include death from exposure to excessive heat or cold. State utility disconnection policies have the potential to protect vulnerable populations from such outcomes. In this article, we examine disconnection policies, and the immense variation that they exhibit across states. We discuss how different policy protections interact and how seemingly minor differences in policy design produce significant differences in levels of protection. We further show how a changing climate is leading to increased exposure to extreme temperatures, and discuss how policy reforms could address these risks. We conclude with a set of recommendations for how to improve the design of such protections, expand their reach, and monitor and track utility connections and disconnections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluate plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) policies currently implemented across the U.S. and the potential for these policies to facilitate widespread PEV diffusion. We examine the relationship between overlapping regulatory and fiscal policies at the federal and state levels of government. We argue that the current suite of policies is not as effective as it could be, and potentially more expensive. Our analysis suggests the existence of a tradeoff between the goals of increasing the market penetration of PEVs and that of limiting greenhouse gas emissions from the light-duty vehicle fleet. The way federal and state policies interact puts those two goals at odds, at least in the short-term. Drawing from the policy and economics literatures, we summarize a series of recommendations and incentives that could deliver a more balanced approach to the achievement of those two policy goals. We conclude with some research suggestions. • We examine four main PEV deployment policies currently in place in the U.S. • Policy objectives are to accelerate deployment of PEVs and reduce greenhouse gases. • We identify the conflicting incentives those policies offer. • We address the implications from the lack of their coordination. • We propose ways to better integrate the policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We conduct a Total Cost of Ownership analysis to estimate the impacts that the 2017–2025 Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards will have on sales of light duty vehicles (cars and light trucks). Vehicle sales are an important macroeconomic indicator that can impact both the economic outlook of the automobile industry as well as the efficacy of the CAFE standards. Our analysis focuses on the relative impacts of three determinants of the net premium consumers' face when deciding whether to purchase a new vehicle, namely: 1) consumers' valuation of fuel savings, 2) fuel price variation over time, and 3) gross price premium of the vehicle due to the Federal Standards. We find that uncertainty about consumers' valuation of fuel savings leads to greater variation in estimated vehicle sales impacts than uncertainty about the gross price premium or fuel prices. Specifically, the estimated sales impacts for model year 2025 range from −7% to +3% and −4% to +5% for cars and light trucks, respectively, when we vary assumptions about valuation of fuel savings. The range of estimates is −6% to −2% and −2% to 0.5% for cars and light trucks, respectively, when we vary the gross price premium and −4% to +1% and −1% to +3% for cars and light trucks, respectively, when we vary fuel prices for model year 2025. These percentages are computed relative to a baseline scenario where CAFE standards remain fixed at 2016 levels. Our findings highlight the importance of more carefully examining the uncertainty introduced through consumer valuation of fuel economy in the mid-term reviews of the CAFE standards. Highlights • Consumer valuation of fuel economy greatly affects the sales of new vehicles. • Fuel price variation and technology costs also matter but to a lesser extent. • CAFE standards should more carefully consider the impacts of fuel valuation uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Survey of adult drivers in US cities on intent to purchase an electric vehicle. • Distinct profiles of respondents preferring different types of electric vehicles. • Plug-in hybrid vehicle interest is grounded in economic utility. • Image and perceived environmental impact drive battery electric vehicle interest. Abstract This study analyzes data from a survey of drivers (n = 1080) administered in late 2013 to assess factors that influence potential car buyers to consider two different types of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) in the United States: plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The results indicate distinct profiles of respondents preferring PHEVs, which have a gasoline backup engine, versus battery BEVs, which rely solely on a battery for power. Respondents interested in selecting a PHEV consider it more for its economic benefits, such as reduced gasoline and maintenance expenditures. Respondents preferring a BEV are drawn to its environmental and technological appeal. The absence of range anxiety for PHEV is a major factor influencing potential PEV buyers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to accelerate the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles (PEV), many municipalities, along with their parent states, offer a variety of benefits to owners and operators of PEVs to make PEV adoption easier and more affordable. Example benefits include financial incentives, infrastructure perks, such as access to high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, and streamlined processes for installing charging equipment. Additionally, some cities are making investments in PEVs and PEV infrastructure for both municipal and public use. However, the policies of states and cities are by no means uniform, and some jurisdictions are doing more than others to promote PEVs. This study presents an index that identifies and ranks the “readiness” of 36 major U.S. cities to deploy electric vehicles. Readiness is the degree to which adoption of electric vehicles is supported, as reflected in the presence of various types of policy instruments, infrastructure development, municipal investments in PEV technology, and participation in relevant stakeholder coalitions. The study also compares cities within states that participate in the Zero Emission Vehicle program, with those that do not, with the objective to understand whether participation in that program has a meaningful impact on PEV readiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analysis of individual and interactive risks associated with use of natural gas and renewable resources for electricity suggests that development-related issues such as construction of power plants and transmission systems have risks that may compound, whereas other types of risks such as planning, costs and policy decisions all have the potential to be offset when four key source categories are all deployed at the same time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy-saving technologies have a difficult time being widely accepted in the marketplace when they have a high initial purchase price and deferred financial benefits. Consumers might not realize that, in the long-run, the financial benefits from reduced energy consumption offset much or all of the initial price premium. One strategy to address consumer misconception of this advantage is to supply information on the “total cost of ownership”, a metric which accounts for the purchase price, the cost of the fuel, and other costs over the ownership period. In this article, we investigate how providing information on five-year fuel cost savings and total cost of ownership affects the stated preferences of consumers to purchase a gasoline, conventional hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or battery electric vehicle. Through an online survey with an embedded experimental design using distinct labels, we find that respondent rankings of vehicles are unaffected by information on five-year fuel cost savings. However, adding information about total cost of ownership increases the probability that small/mid-sized car consumers express a preference to acquire a conventional hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or a battery-electric vehicle. No such effect is found for consumers of small sport utility vehicles. Our results are consistent with other findings in the behavioral economics literature and suggest that further evaluation of the effects of providing consumers with information on the total cost of vehicle ownership is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]