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A Top-Down Economic Efficiency Analysis of U.S. HouseholdEnergy Consumption

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  • J. Wesley Burnett
  • Jessica Madariaga

Abstract

This study analyzes the efficiency of household-level energy consumption using a rich microdata set of homes within the United States. We measure efficiency by extending a cost-minimization model that treats the total amount of energy services produced as latent or unobserved due to technological differences in household consumption. The empirical strategy consists of applying latent class modeling to cost frontier analysis, which helps to identify heterogeneous subsets of units that require the fewest energy resources. Our estimates of efficient units form an empirical cost frontier of best practices within each subset. In order to understand the determinants of household-level energy efficiency, we condition the cost frontier analysis on numerous physical, climate-related, and socio-economic characteristics of the household. We find that state-level energy building code regulations, on average, induce a one-to-four percent marginal increase in household energy consumption.

Suggested Citation

  • J. Wesley Burnett & Jessica Madariaga, 2018. "A Top-Down Economic Efficiency Analysis of U.S. HouseholdEnergy Consumption," The Energy Journal, , vol. 39(4), pages 1-30, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:enejou:v:39:y:2018:i:4:p:1-30
    DOI: 10.5547/01956574.39.4.jbur
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    1. Filippini, Massimo & Hunt, Lester C., 2012. "US residential energy demand and energy efficiency: A stochastic demand frontier approach," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 1484-1491.
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    5. Arik Levinson, 2016. "How Much Energy Do Building Energy Codes Save? Evidence from California Houses," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(10), pages 2867-2894, October.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Energy efficiency; energy rebound effect; household energy consumption;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F0 - International Economics - - General

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