Energy Efficiency and Conservation: New Legal Tools and Opportunities
6 Pages Posted: 22 Feb 2011 Last revised: 23 Jul 2015
Date Written: February 21, 2011
Abstract
Many new and ambitious energy efficiency and conservation laws are being enacted at all levels of government - and with greater financial incentives than provided previously. These innovations are intended to overcome or minimize market barriers such as principal-agent problems, information and transaction costs, high internal discount rates, and up-front capital needs that discourage cost-saving investments. Innovations such as public-private partnerships also require significant legal input and creativity for the client to reap the often remarkably large energy and cost savings. This article reviews a range of these tools, especially financial legal mechanisms, that could help significantly reduce U.S. energy consumption.
Keywords: energy efficiency, energy conservation, climate change, sustainable development, sustainability, energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, taxation, tax credit, tax deduction
JEL Classification: K10, K20, K29, K32, K33, Q20, Q21, Q28, Q30, Q31, Q38, Q40, Q41, Q43, Q48, Q54, Q58, Q01
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation