ETA 2021 Strategic Plan - Flipbook - Page 45
Energy Analysis &
Environmental Impacts Division
The Energy Analysis and Environmental Impacts
(EAEI) Division measures and analyzes energy
use, emissions to the environment, and the
technological, market, and policy approaches
to improve efficiency, inform renewable energy
integration, and mitigate energy-related
impacts. This research informs work spanning
basic science and technology development,
efficiency standards, and decision-making for
the benefit of governments, societies, and the
global environment. The Division has developed
analytical and experimental methods and tools
to identify and assess the technical, economic,
and market potential of energy technologies and
to measure and analyze electricity, gas, and enduse services, as well as their associated social,
economic, health, and environmental impacts.
Research Objectives
EAEI’s domestic and international energy policy
and environmental impacts research addresses
a wide range of challenging energy topics,
including:
• Analysis of policy strategies that encourage
the deployment of energy efficiency, energy
storage, and renewable energy resources
• Technical and economic analysis on energyefficiency standards
• Challenges and opportunities in
modernizing the electricity grid, enabling
integration with buildings and electrified
mobility systems, and aligning regulation
and utility business models with public
policy goals
• Technologies and pathways for reducing
the carbon footprint and air quality impacts
of energy use
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EAEI researchers provide rigorous and innovative
scientific research and technical assistance to
federal, state, and local government agencies
in the United States and throughout the world
— helping these entities develop long-term
strategies, policies, and programs that facilitate
energy efficiency and the deployment of clean
energy technology with minimum environmental
and health impacts in all sectors and industries.
International Energy Analysis Department
EAEI’s International Energy Analysis Department
provides technical assistance to some of the
fastest growing countries facing the greatest
environmental challenges, including China, India,
and other emerging economies in Asia-Pacific,
Latin America, and Africa. International Energy
Analysis researchers also serve as the knowledge
hub to provide insights on energy dynamics
and trends in these regions for governments,
international organizations, and the private
sector.
Since the mid-1990s, EAEI’s scientists have
provided technical assistance to China, India,
and other emerging economies, leading to
several key successes, including significant
strengthening of appliance standards and
building codes, benchmarking the energy
performance of industrial facilities, and
contributing to phaseout of coal in the power
sector. EAEI also hosts or plays a lead role in
several high-level bilateral and multilateral
initiatives including the U.S.-China Climate
Change Working Group (CCWG), the U.S.-China
Ecopartnerships, the U.S.-China Clean Energy
Research Center (CERC), the Superefficient
Equipment and Appliance Deployment (SEAD)
Initiative, and the Kigali Cooling Efficiency
Program (KCEP). EAEI’s rigorous analysis
and scientific solutions have helped save
energy, tackle climate change, and protect the
environment globally.
Energy Efficiency Standards Department
The EAEI’s Energy Efficiency Standards
Department has provided core technical support
to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s)
Efficiency Standards Program since its inception
in 1987. Since that time, the DOE program has
generated more than $1.3 trillion in consumer
benefits. Energy savings in 2014 amounted to 4%
of U.S. energy consumption. Energy Efficiency
Standards researchers provide cutting-edge,
comprehensive analyses of the economic
and environmental impacts of proposed DOE
appliances, equipment, and lighting standards
(e.g., consumer costs and benefits, utility sector
and societal impacts, and dynamic modeling
of market evolution under different standards
and policy scenarios). Appliance standards have
proven to be one of the most effective policy
tools for reducing energy consumption.
Sustainable Energy & Environmental
Systems Department
EAEI researchers in the Sustainable Energy &
Environmental Systems Department conduct a
broad program of research and development
to support international, federal, state. and
local programs to understand and mitigate
environmental impacts and maximize the
sustainability of emerging energy technologies.
Sustainable Energy & Environmental Systems
research features energy technology analysis
intended to inform the development and
deployment of new and existing technologies
with approaches including life-cycle and techno-
economic analysis, deep decarbonization
pathway development, and energy flexibility
and behavior analytics. The energy systems
analysis research in the Sustainable Energy &
Environmental Systems Department includes
emerging trends in people and freight mobility,
the industrial sector, and the circular economy.
Sustainable Energy & Environmental Systems
research in atmospheric science and technology
focuses on indoor environmental quality,
climate and air quality modeling, environmental
chemistry and exposure science, and source
characterization and impact mitigation
technologies.
Electricity Markets & Policy Department
EAEI research has supported technical,
economic, and policy analysis of the U.S.
electricity sector. The Electricity Markets and
Policy Department works on renewable energy
policy and market issues (e.g., cost, benefit,
and market analysis; grid operations and
infrastructure impacts; and public acceptance
and deployment barriers). Electricity Markets
and Policy researchers also conduct policy
research and develop software to aid industry
and government. They also provide technical
assistance on energy efficiency (e.g., enabling
policies, program design, market potential,
implementation strategies, finance, and
evaluation of programs funded by utility
customers and/or state/ local governments),
demand response, smart grid implementation
issues, customer response to dynamic pricing,
utility business models, power system reliability
and resilience, and technical and institutional
issues related to long-term electric utility and
transmission planning.
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