Demand-side solutions in the US building sector could achieve deep emissions reductions and avoid over $100 billion in power sector costs

Langevin, Jared; Satre-Meloy, Aven; Satchwell, Andrew J.; Hledik, Ryan; Olszewski, Julia; Peters, Kate; Chandra-Putra, Handi

doi:10.1016/j.oneear.2023.07.008

Title: Demand-side solutions in the US building sector could achieve deep emissions reductions and avoid over $100 billion in power sector costs

Journal Article · 18 August 2023 · One Earth

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2023.07.008 · OSTI ID:1996968

^[1]; Satre-Meloy, Aven ^[1]; Satchwell, Andrew J. ^[1]; Hledik, Ryan ^[2]; Olszewski, Julia ^[2]; Peters, Kate ^[2]; Chandra-Putra, Handi ^[1]

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
The Brattle Group, Boston, MA (United States)

Buildings are energy-intensive and a primary source of US end-use sector carbon emissions. Although building emissions today are 25% below their 2005 peak, far deeper reductions are needed to reach the US 2050 net-zero emissions goal. However, plausible decarbonization pathways that consider both buildings and their interactions with the power grid remain poorly understood. Here, we couple detailed modeling of building energy use and the grid to quantify building decarbonization potential and associated grid impacts. We find up to a 91% reduction in building CO₂ emissions from 2005 levels by 2050 using a portfolio of building efficiency, demand flexibility, and electrification measures alongside rapid grid decarbonization. Building efficiency and flexibility could generate up to $107 billion in annual power system cost savings by 2050, offsetting over a third of the incremental cost of full grid decarbonization. Our results underscore multiple benefits of demand-side solutions for deep decarbonization of US buildings.

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Research Organization:: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Energy Efficiency Office. Building Technologies Office

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231

OSTI ID:: 1996968

Journal Information:: One Earth, Journal Name: One Earth Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 6; ISSN 2590-3322

Publisher:: Cell PressCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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