Illuminating Pathways to Affordable Energy
Over the past year, much of RFF’s research has demonstrated how carefully aligning energy resources and efficiency can generate meaningful savings for families while meeting societal goals.
The Intersection of Decarbonization and Affordability
Households across the country need dependable, affordable energy—yet many are feeling the strain of rising utility costs while many states and communities retrofit existing energy infrastructure and build it out to meet growing demand.
There are multiple reasons for this crunch. While “clean energy” is sometimes portrayed as a driver of higher costs, we know that affordability and decarbonization are not necessarily competing priorities. Over the past year, much of RFF’s research has demonstrated how carefully aligning energy resources and efficiency can generate meaningful savings for families while meeting societal goals.
Through smart policy design and targeted investments, benefits can outweigh costs in both the long and short term.
For example, a May report on the effects of infrastructure delays on health, the environment, and U.S. households detailed how delayed permitting for new power lines and clean energy projects could result in over $23 billion in annual costs by 2032. And that cost burden wouldn’t be shared equally—delays in building a cleaner grid hit low-income and minority households the hardest, since they spend a larger share of their income on energy and suffer more from pollution.
In New York, RFF’s experts analyzed a future cap-and-invest program that could both cut emissions and financially benefit households. The report assessed how revenue generated from selling carbon allowances could be returned to New Yorkers through direct payments to offset household energy costs. Our research found that when these payments are targeted based on regional energy costs and household income, average fossil fuel cost increases for households earning under $200,000 a year can be fully offset.
Research like this—clarifying what drives household energy costs, detailing how well-designed policies can leave families better off, and informing practical solutions—depends on the support we receive from supporters like you. RFF’s independence allows us to analyze trade-offs honestly and bring forward insights that policymakers, communities, and industry leaders can rely on.
As we approach the end of the year, I hope you’ll consider making an investment in RFF’s work. Your gift will help strengthen the research that informs smart decisionmaking and sustains the independent analysis necessary to navigate a rapidly changing climate and energy landscape.
