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A Retrospective Analysis of the Benefits and Impacts of U.S. Renewable Portfolio Standards

Publication Type

Report

Date Published

01/2016

Authors

Wiser, Ryan H., Galen L. Barbose, Jenny Heeter, Trieu Mai, Lori Bird, Mark Bolinger, Alberta Carpenter, Garvin A. Heath, David Keyser, Jordan Macknick, Andrew D. Mills, Dev Millstein

Abstract

This is the second in a series of reports exploring the costs, benefits, and other impacts of state renewable portfolio standards (RPS). This report focuses on the benefits and impacts of all state RPS programs, in aggregate, for the year 2013. Relying on a well-vetted set of methods, this report evaluates a number of important benefits and impacts in both physical and monetary terms, where possible, and characterizes key uncertainties. In particular, the study evaluates potential societal benefits associated with reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution emissions, and water use. It also assesses the impacts—which are best considered resource transfers rather than societal benefits—associated with gross jobs and economic development, wholesale electricity prices, and natural gas prices. The prior study in this series focused on historical RPS compliance costs, and future work will evaluate costs, benefits, and other impacts of RPS policies prospectively.

Year of Publication

2016

Notes

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory hosted a webinar on January 13, 2016, entitled "A Retrospective Analysis of the Benefits and Impacts of U.S. Renewable Portfolio Standards."

To view a recording of the webinar, click here.

Click here to view the journal article published in Energy Policy Volume 96, September 2016, A retrospective analysis of benefits and impacts of U.S. renewable portfolio standards.