Economic growth depends critically on access to reliable energy. However in much of the world, access to energy remains low and supply is often unreliable. At the same time, the world’s energy choices are leading to levels of pollution that are substantially shortening people’s lives and causing climate change. The energy and growth challenge requires identifying solutions to these problems of access to inexpensive and reliable energy, while limiting environmental damage and guarding against disruptive climate change. In this Friedman Forum talk, Michael Greenstone explores key energy trends and outlines both the market and technology forces at play to meet this challenge.

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Research Briefs·Sep 27, 2024

Toward an Understanding of the Economics of Prosumers: Evidence from a Natural Field Experiment

John List, Ioannis C. Pragidis, and Michael K. Price
Nudging energy prosumers to conserve via a home energy report reduces their energy consumption, with significant variation across seasons and times of day. This suggests that prosumers both shift their energy use away from peak hours and conserve overall.
Topics: Energy & Environment
Podcast Jul 9, 2024

The Uncertainties of Climate Change

How can we incentivize the private and public sectors to develop and deploy solutions to climate change, while accounting for uncertainties? This episode of The Pie covers a panel discussion among professors David Keith of the Department of the Geophysical...
Topics: Energy & Environment
Research Briefs·Oct 3, 2023

Private Actions in the Presence of Externalities: The Health Impacts of Reducing Air Pollution Peaks but not Ambient Exposure

Joshua Dean and Susanna B. Berkouwer
Improved cookstoves reduce exposure to peak cooking emissions by 42%, though impacts on overall pollution exposure are muted by high ambient pollution. The reduction in peak emissions reduces self-reported respiratory symptoms but does not improve more quantitative diagnoses such as...
Topics: Development Economics, Energy & Environment, Health care