Research that Informs Business and Public Policy
These are unusual times in oil and gasoline markets, but not really mysterious. Everyone has a role to play in the pandemic. My primary role – as my younger friends … Continue Reading Petro Questions and (Some) Answers
Two energy economists discuss supply, collusion, jobs, and the impact on gasoline prices. This week’s blog post is a podcast. Last Wednesday, I sat down (from a safe 2000 mile … Continue Reading The Policy and Politics of the COVID-19 Oil Market Crash
Can we squeeze some long-run good out of this short-run disaster? The coronavirus has upended life in my household. I’m now toggling between teaching first-grade math and undergraduate economics, and … Continue Reading COVID-19 and the Climate
Economists can’t predict the future, but economics can help improve policy today. Oil markets aren’t the first thing that hardly anyone thinks about when reading updates on the novel coronavirus. … Continue Reading Oil Market Impacts of COVID-19
A new paper estimates the massive damages from leaded gasoline (which is still around). In my free time I really like reading about the history of pollutants. While PM2.5 and … Continue Reading The Crazy History of Lead in Gasoline
2019 was a record year for the Mystery Surcharge, which is bad news for drivers and the state’s economy. If the price of gasoline stays inexplicably high and the media … Continue Reading California’s Mystery Gasoline Surcharge Strikes Back
Millennials, carbon pricing, falling solar prices and Greta Thunberg topped our most-read list. I’m often asked, “Who actually writes the Energy Institute’s blog posts?” These questioners expect to hear that … Continue Reading Top 10 Blog Posts for 2019
The best customer response depends on how much utilities can reduce their frequency. The rains have arrived in California and wildfire season has ended, temporarily. But fire risks will be … Continue Reading Preparing for Next Year’s Power Shutoffs
A new paper shows that people drive less and slow down when gasoline prices rise. I drive an electric vehicle. So I am, of course, better than you and now … Continue Reading Taking The Pedal Off The Metal
Recent sales of U.S. nuclear plants raise questions about safety, liability, and economic incentives. (Today’s post is co-authored with Catherine Hausman, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan.) Last … Continue Reading Nuclear Moral Hazard
Install more parking at commuter rail stations, not just solar panels. I love me a good solar panel. I have them on my house and on my calculator. And, I’m … Continue Reading A Tale Of Two Stations
Californians have paid over $1800 per household. Now can we please find out why? California gas prices are over the dreaded $4 mark. That turns out to generate a lot … Continue Reading The Mystery Gasoline Surcharge Gets Some Respect
To meet ambitious climate goals EVs need to be more than niche product for rich people. It has been over a decade since Tesla introduced the original Roadster. At $100,000+ … Continue Reading An Electric Vehicle in Every Driveway?
EV drivers don’t pay the gasoline tax so pay less for roads. (Today’s post is co-authored by James Sallee) Every time we buy a gallon of gasoline, we help pay … Continue Reading Should Electric Vehicle Drivers Pay a Mileage Tax?
A new paper points out how consumers may respond to autonomous travel. A few months ago I was dreaming of a glorious autonomous electrified future. Yet sometimes science is the … Continue Reading _V_astly _M_ore _T_ravel
New evidence shows millennials are not so different after all. Starting around 2012 there was a lot of discussion about millennials being different. “Why Don’t Young Americans Buy Cars?” asked … Continue Reading Millennials Grab the Wheel and Step on the Gas
