“Do HOAs hinder rooftop solar adoption? Evidence from State-Level Policy Changes” (JMP)

presented at The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia 2025, Southeastern Workshop on Energy and Environmental Economics and Policy [SWEEEP] 2025*, Southern Economic Association [SEA] 2025*, CSWEP Mentoring Workshop 2024

Several U.S. states have enacted legislation preventing Homeowners Associations (HOAs) from restricting residential solar panel installations, aiming to remove barriers to renewable energy adoption. However, many states still permit HOAs to regulate or prohibit solar installations, potentially hindering residential solar adoption. While extensive research has examined factors influencing solar photovoltaic (PV) adoption, no study has specifically assessed the impact of HOA regulations. This paper leverages state-level variations in HOA solar restrictions to estimate the effect of HOA penetration on residential solar adoption at the zip code level. Using a combination of empirical strategies, including fixed-effects regressions and difference-in-differences models, I analyze how solar adoption trends differ between states that have lifted HOA restrictions and those that have not. My approach incorporates a continuous measure of HOA penetration, capturing variation in treatment intensity across zip codes. My findings reveal that HOA-imposed barriers reduce solar adoption rates. These results highlight the regulatory constraints HOAs impose on renewable energy adoption and offer insights for policymakers considering reforms to expand residential solar access.

“Does Daylight Saving Time Save Energy? Evidence from Electricity Generation”

presented at Southern Economic Association [SEA] 2025*, Berkeley/Sloan Summer School in Environmental and Energy Economics 2024, Southeastern Workshop on Energy and Environmental Economics and Policy [SWEEEP] 2023

Does Daylight Saving Time (DST) save energy? Originally implemented to reduce energy consumption, DST is currently facing scrutiny. The United States government is attempting to pass the Sunshine Protection Act which would do away with the twice-annual clock change. Existing literature yields mixed results and some scholars question whether DST realizes its intended energy savings. To further explore this question, I use electricity generation data from 7 major energy providers in the U.S. as a proxy for electricity consumption. Using a fixed effects approach, I find that DST does not impact aggregate electricity generation. Analyzing aggregate hourly treatment effects shows a spike in electricity generation during the morning hours, and this trend is visible in each of the regions. Notably, I disaggregate the results by fuel type, finding natural gas generation, a non-renewable and relatively dirty form of energy, increases during the morning hours to compensate for the spike in electricity use due to DST.

Drafts and/or slides available upon request

*indicates upcoming

"The Cost of Missing the Forecast: Wind Uncertainty and System Imbalance in Power Grids"

As wind penetration increases in electricity markets, grid operators face growing challenges from renewable variability. In this paper, I examine how forecast uncertainty—measured by wind forecast errors—affects system imbalance, separately from the effects of intermittency. Using area control error (ACE) as the outcome, I extend prior work on wind variance by isolating the impact of unpredictability. I find that forecast errors significantly increase system imbalance, suggesting that intermittency and uncertainty impose distinct operational burdens. These results have important implications for forecasting, reserve planning, and the efficient integration of renewables into power systems.