Spillover health effects of energy efficiency investments: Quasi-experimental evidence from the Los Angeles LED streetlight program

Benjamin Jones

Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 2018, vol. 88, issue C, 283-299

Abstract: Payback estimates of energy efficiency investments often ignore public health externalities. This is problematic in cases where spillover health effects are substantial, such as when the application of new technology alters environmental exposures. When health externalities are included in return on investment calculations, energy efficiency programs may look more or less attractive than suggested by conventional “energy savings only” estimates. This analysis exploits the quasi-experiment provided by the 2009 Los Angeles (LA) LED streetlight efficiency program to investigate the returns on investments inclusive of an originally estimated health externality. Using the synthetic control method, we find that the LED streetlight program is associated with a lagged increase in breast cancer mortality of 0.479 per 100,000. Inclusive of the effects of LEDs on breast cancer and avoided carbon emissions, the LA LED program provides a −146.2% 10-year return compared to +118.2% when health outcomes and carbon emissions are ignored.

Keywords: Energy efficiency investments; Health externalities; LED streetlights; CO2 emissions; Los Angeles; Synthetic control method (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I18 O33 Q48 Q55 R42 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jeeman:v:88:y:2018:i:c:p:283-299

DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2018.01.002

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