CAMBRIDGE, MA—A new web-based analytic tool, soon to be introduced by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), promises energy policy analysts greater consistency in estimating  the economic and employment impacts of the nation’s energy technology investments. The tool—the Energy IO Calculator—built by Abt Associates in partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), will result in sounder policy decisions based on uniformly derived data, according to Michael Fisher, vice president in Abt Associates’ Environment and Resources Division.

 

“Given the importance of employment considerations in today’s economy, ready access to a consistent analytic system for estimating these effects is vital in developing sound policy for energy-related investments,” Fisher said. “This tool will help policymakers achieve this.”

According to Fisher, the Energy IO (Input-Output) Calculator fills a significant need of energy policy analysts for performing rigorous analyses of the employment and economic effects of energy technology investments and programs. “It allows analysts to makes estimates of overall economic activity, employment and labor earnings according to economic sectors, labor categories, and stage of technology development activity, while accounting for inter-industry linkages throughout the U.S. economy.”

 

Analysts have lacked a consistent framework for estimating these impacts of renewable and other energy programs, and different methodologies were used with different underlying assumptions or analytic approaches, said Fisher. He added, “The Energy IO Calculator offers a single analytic system.”

 

The input-output framework is based on an Abt Associates’ customization of the national input-output tables published by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis. The calculator includes economic specifications for a range of energy technologies, and it converts among different options for specifying an energy investment program. For example, the investment program can be specified in terms of development investment dollars or quantity of additional electric generating capacity in a given energy technology.

Abt Associates is a mission-driven, global leader in research and program implementation in the fields of health, social and environmental policy, and international development. Known for its rigorous approach to solving complex challenges, Abt Associates was ranked as one of the top 20 global research firms in 2011 and also named one of the top 40 international development innovators.  The company has multiple offices in the U.S. and program offices in nearly 40 countries. www.abtassociates.com

 

 

Sandy Cogan

301-347-5913