The Economic Impacts of Repealing Indiana's Energy Efficiency Resource Standard

Client: Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana

Bryndis Woods and Nina Schlegel

July 2018

On behalf of the Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana, Researchers Bryndis Woods and Nina Schlegel prepared an Applied Economics Clinic policy brief that analyzes energy efficiency savings, saved energy costs, and job impacts since the repeal of Indiana's energy efficiency resource standard (EERS) in 2015. The brief compares what happened as a result of the repeal with what would have been achieved had the program not been repealed. Ms. Woods and Ms Schlegel found that had EERS not been repealed: Indiana would have saved more energy, ratepayers would have saved millions of dollars, and many jobs would have been created. This policy brief serves as a companion to another AEC policy brief, entitled The Performance of Indiana Utilities’ Energy Efficiency Programs, that compares utility sales, energy efficiency savings and program costs over the period 2012 to 2019 across Indiana’s five investor-owned electric utilities.

This policy brief is one of two AEC publications on behalf of Citizens Action Coalition and Energy Foundation that investigate the impact of Indiana's 2014 repeal of its energy efficiency program through passage of the Senate Enrolled Act 340.   

Link to Policy Brief

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Massachusetts' Clean Energy Policy Overview

Client: Barr Foundation

Authors: Bryndis Woods, Nina Schlegel, and Liz Stanton, PhD

June 2018

On behalf of the Barr Foundation, Researchers Bryndis Woods and Nina Schlegel, along with Clinic Director and Senior Economist Liz Stanton, PhD, prepared an Applied Economics Clinic policy brief which detailed Massachusetts’ history of leadership in clean electric-sector policies. Beginning in the 1980s, through the electric “restructuring” laws and regulations of the 1990s, and then the 2008 Green Communities Act and Global Warming Solutions Act, Massachusetts policy-makers have laid the groundwork for today’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while adding diversity to New England’s electric generating resources.  The 2018 ‘Act to Promote a Clean Energy Future’ continues this work, calling for accelerated renewable energy requirements, offshore wind and battery storage targets, and less stringent limits on rooftop solar installations.

Link to History of MA Energy Sector Policy Brief

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An Analysis of the Massachusetts 2018 'Act to Promote a Clean Energy Future' Report

Client: Barr Foundation

Liz Stanton, PhD, Tyler Comings, Rachel Wilson, Sagal Alisalad, Emrat Nur Marzan, Nina Schlegel, Bryndis Woods, Jason Gifford, Edward Snook, and Po-Yu Yuen

June 2018

On behalf of the Barr Foundation, Clinic Director and Senior Economist Liz Stanton, PhD, along with members of the Applied Economics Clinic (AEC) staff and members of Sustainable Energy Advantage's staff, prepared an AEC report analyzing the Massachusetts 2018 “Act to Promote a Clean Energy Future”. The act includes a range of provisions to address climate change while strengthening the state’s innovation economy, including accelerating renewable energy targets, creating aggressive offshore wind and battery storage goals, and removing limits on rooftop solar. AEC and Sustainable Energy Advantage's study of the economic impacts of these policies found benefits for Massachusetts: new jobs, a stronger economy, more renewable resources, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, these policies would have little or no effect on consumers’ electric bills through 2030.

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The Performance of Indiana Utilities’ Energy Efficiency Programs

Client: Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana

Bryndis Woods and Nina Schlegel

June 2018

On behalf of the Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana, Researchers Bryndis Woods and Nina Schlegel prepared a policy brief that compares the energy efficiency programs of five investor-owned utilities in Indiana: Duke Energy, Indiana Michigan Power Company (I&M), Indianapolis Power and Light Company (IPL), Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO), and Southern Indiana Gas & Electric Company d/b/a Vectren Energy Delivery (Vectren). The policy brief presents side-by-side comparisons of Indiana’s investor-owned electric utilities’ sales, energy efficiency savings and program costs from 2012 to 2019. This brief serves as a companion to two forthcoming Applied Economics Clinic publications that investigate the impact of two Indiana legislative developments: the 2014 repeal of its energy efficiency program through passage of the Senate Enrolled Act 340 and the approval of its Transmission Distribution and Storage Improvement Charge (TDSIC) state statute, which was passed in 2013 with the Senate Enrolled Act 560.

This policy brief is one of two AEC publications on behalf of Citizens Action Coalition and Energy Foundation that investigate the impact of Indiana's 2014 repeal of its energy efficiency program through passage of the Senate Enrolled Act 340.   

Link to Policy Brief

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