Cash for Coolers : Evaluating a Large-Scale Appliance Replacement Program in Mexico

Davis, Lucas W. ; Fuchs, Alan ; Gertler, Paul

American Economic Association

关键词: energy efficiency;    microeconomic analysis;    energy use;    electricity consumption;    carbon dioxide emissions;   

DOI  :  10.1257/pol.6.4.207

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

This paper evaluates a large-scale appliance replacement program in Mexico that from 2009 to 2012 helped 1.9 million households replace their old refrigerators and air conditioners with energy-efficient models. Using household-level billing records from the universe of Mexican residential customers, we find that refrigerator replacement reduces electricity consumption by 8 percent, about one-quarter of what was predicted by ex ante analyses. Moreover, we find that air conditioning replacement actually increases electricity consumption. Overall, we find that the program is an expensive way to reduce externalities from energy use, reducing carbon dioxide emissions at a program cost of over $500 per ton.