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Author Archives: Catherine Wolfram
An Important, and Sometimes Overlooked, Energy Efficiency Tool
The developing world will account for a huge share of the growth in energy demand in the future. But, if the rising demand is met with energy-efficient technologies – everything from efficient appliances for first-time purchasers to efficient industrial processes … Continue reading
Marketing Solar, Part Two
Several weeks ago I blogged about a solar quote my family received. The quote suggested that we could spend $12,400 to save $39,500 on our future electricity bills. My post raised two issues about the quote, including that the savings … Continue reading
Marketing Solar: Bring in Elizabeth Warren?
Last month, my husband opened the door to a solicitor from a solar company and eventually agreed to let the polite young gentleman on our porch order a quote for our family to go solar. The three-page form that the … Continue reading
In Praise of Deregulation
The American Economic Association held their annual meeting this weekend in San Diego. There were many excellent presentations on energy, but one of my favorites was by Paul Joskow on the history of deregulation in the natural gas industry.[1] Joskow’s … Continue reading
Measuring the Economic Costs of Electricity Outages
There’s nothing like a power outage to make you appreciate just how much you depend on reliable electricity. According to the latest numbers from the Energy Information Administration, as of Saturday, nearly 2.5 million people in Sandy’s path were still … Continue reading
Tipping Points and the Social Cost of Carbon
Economists talk about something called the “social cost of carbon.” Here’s the basic idea: You may pay for the gas you put in your car, but when you burn it, you emit carbon dioxide, which imposes costs on the rest … Continue reading
Air Conditioning and Energy Demand in India
The massive electricity outage in India several weeks ago reminded me of a striking graph I saw recently. I have a soft spot in my heart for graphs. A picture is worth a thousand words, or a thousand data points, … Continue reading
Nuclear Operations Front and Center in Duke-Progress Merger Spectacle
Nuclear plant operations aren’t usually at the center of boardroom drama, but that’s precisely what’s happening in the latest controversy over the Duke-Progress merger. Duke Energy, after a year-and-a-half convincing regulators that it would be a good idea, merged with … Continue reading
Nuclear Safety
In Tokyo, where I traveled recently, protestors thronged the sidewalks outside the Prime Minister’s office as he agonized over re-opening two of the country’s 54 nuclear power reactors—they’d been shuttered in the wake of the disaster at Fukushima last March. … Continue reading
The Lunch Table: More than Just Casinos in Southern Nevada
Southern Nevada, where I vacationed recently during my kids’ spring break, provides a stroll (actually, 75 MPH drive) through U.S. electric power generation history. First, there’s Hoover Dam, the nearly 80-year-old testament to the endurance of the energy infrastructure, which … Continue reading
