Does global warming require changes in cost effectiveness tests

A Brown Bag Seminar from the Association of Energy Service Providers:

Does the Global Warming Challenge Require Changes in the Cost Effectiveness Tests Used to Evaluate Utility Energy Efficiency Programs?

Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 1:00 p.m.(EDT)

In the past year, Legislatures and Governments have been adopting far reaching policies and proposed policy mechanisms to achieve significant reductions in the output of GHG gases in the United States and the World by 2020 and 2050 . However it is not clear how or if the benefits of reducing GHG gases have been incorporated into the planning of energy efficiency programs. This session addresses the question of whether changes are needed in the current method of assessing the costs and benefits of programs in general and energy efficiency programs in particular help achieve these GHG goals in the most efficient and effective manner possible. Topics discussed will include changes to the discount rate, value of marginal energy resources, use of damage rather than cost functions, and the incorporation of “option value” for early GHG reduction strategies.