Economic approach

Capitalism

  • Using less energy/using renewables can save companies money - Walmart is a leading example Lovins, 12
  • Companies required to disclose accounting information including carbon footprint under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. This lets the public see economic effect of cutting emissions; the trend has been cost savings Lovins, 11
  • Major $ savings to be had in more efficient buildings; 76% of energy produced in USA goes to building operation Lovins, 15
  • Biggest blocker to companies that would like to go greener (more efficient/renewable): up-front capital Lovins, 31
  • Utilities: some are publicly owned; some are from private investment. Particularly those with private investment stand to gain from clients using more energy. In the 1970s they even sold in declining block rates. PUC for each state sets rates, some use inverted rates and some decouple energy quantity from $ paid to utility company. Some reward utility companies for reducing client consumption (ex. Batinovich Plan) Lovins, 47-48

Job creation

  • Renewable energy creates more jobs per unit of energy delivered than fossil fuels Klein, 116
  • Comprehensive policies to reduce emissions in the transport sector by 80% would create 7 million new jobs across Europe according to European Transport Workers Federation (2011) Klein, 116
  • Cutting electricity emissions by 90% across Europe would create 5 million clean energy jobs Klein, 116
  • Public transit investments create 31% more jobs than investment in road & bridge construction Klein, 116

[aggarwal]: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1040619013001917 "Aggarwal, Sonia and Harvey, Hal. 'Rethinking Energy Policy to Deliver a Clean Energy Future.' Energy Innovation, 2013."

[trabish-dynamic]: https://www.utilitydive.com/news/beyond-tou-is-more-dynamic-pricing-the-future-of-rate-design/447171/ "Trabish, Herman. 'Beyond ToU: Is more dynamic pricing the future of rate design?' Utility Dive, 2017."

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