The Energy Institute typically holds its one-day POWER conference on energy research and policy in Berkeley every March. The purpose of the event is to bring together outstanding scholars and practitioners from around the world to exchange ideas and research results on topics related to energy markets and regulation.

Due to the pandemic, POWER will once again be virtual this year. Registration fees have been reduced this year in recognition of the reduction in cost of holding a virtual event.

Although this format departs from our usual in-person event, our objectives have not changed. As always, the conference will present the latest energy policy research to policy and business professionals, as well as other researchers. The conference will be held March 16-19, with one session each morning. To enhance the interactions among participants, after each session we will have separate breakout rooms with the authors and discussant of each paper.

2021 POWER Conference
on Energy Research and Policy

Virtual Event – March 16-19, 2021

Program:

Session 1 – Tuesday, March 16, 9:00-11:00 AM PDT

“Spillovers from Ancillary Services to Wholesale Power Markets: Implications for Climate Policy”
Jesse Buchsbaum (University of California, Berkeley), Catherine Hausman*, Johanna Mathieu, and Jing Peng (University of Michigan)

“Why are Marginal CO2 Emissions Increasing for U.S. Electricity? Estimates and Implications for Climate Policy”
Stephen Holland* (University of North Carolina at Greensboro), Matthew Kotchen (Yale University), Erin Mansur (Dartmouth College), and Andrew Yates (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

Discussants: James Archsmith (University of Maryland) and Carrie Bentley (Gridwell Consulting)

Session 2 – Wednesday, March 17, 9:00-11:00 AM PDT

“Low Energy: Estimating Electric Vehicle Electricity Use”
Fiona Burlig (University of Chicago), James Bushnell* (University of California, Davis), David Rapson (University of California, Davis), and Catherine Wolfram (University of California, Berkeley)

“What Matters for Electrification? Evidence from 70 Years of U.S. Home Heating Choices”
Lucas Davis (University of California, Berkeley)

Discussants: Stephanie Greene (Rocky Mountain Institute) and Ashley Langer (University of Arizona)

Session 3 – Thursday, March 18, 9:00-11:00 AM PDT

“Decomposing the Wedge Between Projected and Realized Returns in Energy Efficiency Programs”
Peter Christensen, Paul Francisco, Erica Myers*, and Mateus Souza (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

“The Economic Costs of NIMBYism: Evidence from Renewable Energy Projects”
Stephen Jarvis (University of Mannheim)

Discussants: Judson Boomhower (University of California, San Diego) and Brenda LeMay (High Road Advisory)

Session 4 – Friday, March 19, 9:00-11:00 AM PDT

“Designing Electricity Rates for An Equitable Energy Transition”
Severin Borenstein, Meredith Fowlie*, and James Sallee (University of California, Berkeley)

“The Incidence of Extreme Economic Stress: Evidence from Utility Disconnections”
Steve Cicala (Tufts University)

Discussants: Tatyana Deryugina (University of Illinois) and Robert Kenney (Pacific Gas and Electric Company)

*Denotes Presenter

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