In this week’s episode, host Kristin Hayes talks with Jesse Buchsbaum, a new research fellow at Resources for the Future, about how consumers respond to changes in electricity prices. Buchsbaum discusses the responsiveness of electricity consumers to prices in the short and long term, the role of pricing in driving long-term changes in consumption habits and investments in electric appliances, the importance of pricing for effective policymaking, and differences in the sensitivity of consumers to price changes depending on income.

References and recommendations:

“Are consumers more responsive to prices in the long run? Evidence from electricity markets” by Jesse Buchsbaum; https://jesse-buchsbaum.com/files/job_market_paper.pdf

“How Long ’Til Black Future Month?” by N. K. Jemisin; https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/n-k-jemisin/how-long-til-black-future-month/9780316491341/

“The Fifth Season” by N. K. Jemisin; https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/n-k-jemisin/the-fifth-season/9780316229296/

“Poverty, by America” by Matthew Desmond; https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/675683/poverty-by-america-by-matthew-desmond/

How Consumers Respond to Electricity Prices, with Jesse Buchsbaum

Resources Radio is a weekly podcast by Resources for the Future. Each week we talk to leading experts about climate change, electricity, ecosystems, and more, making the latest research accessible to everyone.