Identifying and Analyzing State Policy Options
Across the nation, states are identifying and analyzing a variety of climate change and clean energy policies and programs as they decide which options to implement to meet their environmental, energy, and economic goals.
Identifying State Policy Options
There are a range of climate and clean energy policy options states can and do implement to advance energy efficiency and renewable energy depending on their goals, priorities and circumstances. States typically identify a range of potential policy options that may serve their needs and warrant further analysis by:
- Exploring climate and clean energy options that other states have implemented
- Considering the approaches states have taken to successfully implement options:
- EPA's Energy and Environment Guide to Action shares state experience in designing and implementing clean energy and climate change policies and programs.
- EPA's Clean Energy Lead by Example (LBE) Guide and Lead by Example webpage identifies policies and programs that advance clean energy and address climate change within state government operations.
- Subscribe to EPA's State Climate and Energy Newsletter to receive weekly summaries of state climate and energy policy news.
Analyzing State Policy Options
The tools and approaches available for evaluating the impacts of options range from basic screening methods to sophisticated dynamic simulation models. In selecting the most appropriate tools or method, states can consider many factors, including purpose of analysis, impact(s) of interest, time constraints, cost, data requirements/availability, as well as internal staff expertise. States can either conduct the evaluation themselves or hire consultants. Regardless of who conducts the analysis, states should understand the methods and assumptions used in the analyses as they dramatically affect the results of the analyses. The Determining Results page provides more detailed information about possible state approaches.
States may use policy analyses to:
- Demonstrate how policies and programs can help achieve multiple state energy, environmental, and economic goals in a cost-effective way
- Design or select options that offer greater energy, environmental, and economic benefits
- Build support for clean energy and climate change mitigation policies and programs
For climate and clean energy policies, a starting point for screening and evaluating options is to understand the potential energy savings or renewable energy generation output that would be expected to result from the policies. These data can then be used to estimate prospective energy system, environmental, and/or economic impacts (costs and benefits) of the policies under consideration.
Relationship Between Energy Savings & Other Benefits of Clean Energy Initiatives
While options are typically analyzed by comparing potential costs to potential benefits, the benefits captured in such analyses are typically limited to energy (kWh) and demand (kW) impacts. By including the full set of energy and non-energy costs and benefits, states can get a more complete picture of the costs and societal net benefits of potential policies in areas such as energy systems, the environment, public health and macroeconomics.
Tools and Resources
Guidance and Methods | Economic Impacts | Emissions Impacts | Energy Impacts | Health Impacts
Guidance and Methods
Assessing the Multiple Benefits of Clean EnergyAssessing the Multiple Benefits of Clean Energy: A Resource for States provides an overview of the multiple benefits of clean energy and their importance. It includes information on
- The importance of and approaches to calculating or estimating energy savings as the foundation for deriving multiple benefits
- A range of tools and approaches to estimating energy systems, environmental, and economic benefits across varying levels of rigor
- How states have supported the use of clean energy through the estimation of multiple benefits
Economic Impacts
Building Life Cycle Cost (BLCC) ProgramsBLCC computer programs conduct economic analyses by evaluating the relative cost-effectiveness of alternative buildings and building-related systems or components. Typically, BLCC software is used to evaluate alternative designs that have higher initial costs but lower operating-related costs over the project life than the lowest-initial-cost design. It is especially useful for evaluating the costs and benefits of energy and water conservation and renewable energy projects. BLCC also calculates comparative economic measures for alternative designs, including net savings, savings-to-investment ratio, adjusted internal rate of return, and years to payback.
Cash Flow Opportunity CalculatorThe Cash Flow Opportunity Calculator (XLS) Exit, developed for the ENERGY STAR program, uses building-specific data to help decision-makers quantify the financial benefits of energy efficient investments. The calculator estimates how much new energy efficiency equipment can be purchased with anticipated savings, compares financing options for energy efficiency purchases, and evaluates project economics under different interest rates.
Job and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) ModelsJEDI models are easy-to-use models that analyze the economic impacts of constructing and operating power generation and biofuel plants at the local and state level. First developed to model wind energy development impacts, JEDI now includes models to analyze the job and economic impacts of biofuel plants and concentrating solar power, coal and natural gas power plants.
Emissions Impacts
AVoided Emissions and geneRation Tool (AVERT)AVERT is a free tool with a simple user interface designed to meet the needs of state air quality planners and other interested stakeholders. Non-experts can easily use AVERT to evaluate county, state and regional levels of NOx, SO2 and CO2 emissions displaced by energy efficiency, wind and solar policies and programs. AVERT uses public data, which is accessible and auditable.
Emissions & Generation Resource Integrated Database (eGRID)eGRID contains a comprehensive inventory of environmental attributes of electric power systems including air emissions data for nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and mercury. The data are organized in a series of Microsoft Excel files that state governments can use to find data on emissions from electricity generation within their state.
Power ProfilerStates can use this tool to evaluate the environmental benefits of choosing cleaner sources of energy. The Power Profiler is a Web-based tool that allows users to evaluate the air pollution and greenhouse gas impact of their electricity choices. Using only a ZIP code, the tool generates a report describing the characteristics of one's electricity use.
WAste Reduction Model (WARM)EPA created the WAste Reduction Model (WARM) to help solid waste planners and organizations track and voluntarily report greenhouse gas emissions reductions from several different waste management practices. WARM calculates and totals GHG emissions of baseline and alternative waste management practices-source reduction, recycling, combustion, composting, and landfilling.
Energy Impacts
Roof Savings CalculatorStates considering policies promoting the use of solar reflective (or "cool") roofing can estimate the energy savings associated with various roofing types using this online calculator. The Roof Savings Calculator Exit estimates energy cost savings for air-conditioned residential, office, or commercial buildings with at least 3,000 square feet of roof area and heated by either natural gas or an electric heat pump. The calculator provides estimates of building-specific energy savings by taking site- and structure-specific factors into account. The tool calculates the net energy savings that would result from a different type of roofing, taking into account potential increases in heating costs along with reduced cooling costs.
E-CalcE-Calc Exit is a Web-based calculator that allows government and building industry users to design and evaluate a wide range of projects for energy savings and emissions reduction potential. This tracking tool was developed by Texas A&M University's Energy Systems Laboratory in response to legislative incentives to quantify emissions reductions from building energy savings and distributed renewable technology. E-Calc evaluates residential, commercial, retail, and municipal buildings energy and emissions savings, as well as savings from renewables like solar heating, solar PV, and wind power.
ENERGY STAR Energy Savings CalculatorsENERGY STAR's Purchasing & Procurement page provides spreadsheet tools that calculate the cost benefits of ENERGY STAR appliances. Energy Savings Calculators are available for a wide range of product categories including dishwashers, refrigerators and freezers, vending machines, heat pumps, computers, computer monitors, and copiers.
ENERGY STAR Target FinderStates can use this Web-based tool to assist with energy management planning during the design phase of building construction. Target Finder allows planners to set an aggressive energy performance target for building design and compare estimated energy consumption to the established target. The tool can provide direction during the design process and facilitate the evaluation of a range of energy efficiency measures to achieve energy and cost goals.
MARKet ALlocation (MARKAL) ModelMARKAL Exit, developed by the International Energy Agency, is a model that assists users in selecting appropriate technologies for maximum emissions control and cost effectiveness. Because the model gives results in terms of cost per unit of emissions abatement, this tool can be useful in determining the costs associated with certain policy measures.
National Impacts of State Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy PoliciesThis EPA resource can help states understand options for identifying their on-the-books energy efficiency and renewable energy policies and estimating the incremental electricity savings of these policies; developing a methodology for projecting a jurisdiction’s energy demand with and without the incremental electricity savings; and estimating the change in power sector emissions attributable to incremental energy savings.
Health Impacts
Co-Benefits Risk Assessment (COBRA) Screening ModelCOBRA is a screening tool that enables users to:
- Roughly estimate the impact of emission changes on ambient air pollution
- Further translate this into health effect impacts
- Monetize the value of those impacts
- View the estimated county-level results in tables and maps
BenMAP-CE is an open-source computer program that calculates the number and economic value of air-pollution-related deaths and illnesses. The software incorporates a database that includes many of the concentration-response relationships, population files, and health and economic data needed to quantify these impacts.