Energy Briefs

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The Institute for Integrated Energy Systems (IESVic) works on strategic clean technologies, electrification and system integration, built environment, energy-economy-policy modeling, and integrated planning for water-energy-land systems. IESVic provides leadership at the University of Victoria in the study of critical energy issues, human dimensions of energy, education and training, and works closely with industry, not-for-profits, and government.

The IESVic Energy Briefs Series shares research and practice on the development of sustainable energy systems that are reliable, cost-effective and socially acceptable.

Big government, big trouble? The role of government size in climate policy support

• Size of government is studied as a new country-level contextual factor determining citizen support for climate policy • Larger size-of-government is associated with lower climate policy support • GDP-per-capita and emissions are positively associated with policy support • High-tax countries have an aversion to environmental tax increases

Residential demand response program modelling to compliment grid composition and changes in energy efficiency

• Grid composition plays a significant role in residential DR program effectiveness • Amount of VRE resources on grid impacts how DR potential is utilized • DR program effectiveness may increase with improved building stock efficiency

Barriers and enablers to the adoption of buildings and energy efficiency initiatives in Greater Victoria

• Focus group participants identify funding from provincial and federal governments as adequate and as enabling alongside staffing interactions • Staffing resources, the legislative, regulatory and political environment alongside governance and information and data management were identified as both barriers and enables • Political will and information exchange enable existing climate action, but municipalities lack of autonomy over the most effective policy instruments