Quantifying Intensive and Extensive Margin Adaptation Responses to Climate Change: A Study of California's Residential Electricity Consumption
Quantifying Intensive and Extensive Margin Adaptation Responses to Climate Change: A Study of California's Residential Electricity Consumption
RFF Academic Seminar
RFF Academic Seminar
Presenter
Maximilian Auffhammer, University of California, Berkeley
Maximilian Auffhammer, University of California, Berkeley
Abstract
One of the main anticipated modes of adaptation to higher temperatures due to climate change is the increased demand for cooling and decreased demand for heating in the built environment. California's residential sector uses relatively little electricity for heating, and it is therefore expected that the demand for electricity will increase as households operate existing air conditioners more frequently, and in many regions, will install air conditioners where there currently are few. Using an extensive dataset of household bills, this paper provides reduced form estimates of changes in electricity consumption due to increased use of installed cooling equipment under a hotter climate. This study adds to the literature by incorporating the change in temperature responsiveness due to likely increases in air conditioner penetration under climate change using a two-stage method. It shows that taking into account these capital investments may lead to significantly higher projections of electricity consumption.
One of the main anticipated modes of adaptation to higher temperatures due to climate change is the increased demand for cooling and decreased demand for heating in the built environment. California's residential sector uses relatively little electricity for heating, and it is therefore expected that the demand for electricity will increase as households operate existing air conditioners more frequently, and in many regions, will install air conditioners where there currently are few. Using an extensive dataset of household bills, this paper provides reduced form estimates of changes in electricity consumption due to increased use of installed cooling equipment under a hotter climate. This study adds to the literature by incorporating the change in temperature responsiveness due to likely increases in air conditioner penetration under climate change using a two-stage method. It shows that taking into account these capital investments may lead to significantly higher projections of electricity consumption.
Date
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
A light lunch will be provided.
Location
7th Floor Conference Room
1616 P St. NW
Washington, DC 20036
7th Floor Conference Room
1616 P St. NW
Washington, DC 20036
All seminars will be in the 7th Floor Conference Room at RFF, 1616 P Street NW unless otherwise noted. Attendance is open, but involves pre-registration no later than two days prior to the event. For questions and to register to an event, please contact Karen Furman at [email protected]. Updates to our academic seminars schedule will be posted at www.rff.org/academicseminarseries.
Participants
Maximilian Auffhammer