A Causal Analysis of CO2 Reduction Strategies in Electricity Markets Through Machine Learning-Driven Metalearners
It addresses unintended consequences in environmental policy for policymakers, but is incremental as it applies existing methods to a specific domain.
This study used Causal Machine Learning to analyze how electricity pricing policies affect CO2 levels in households, finding that such policies may inadvertently increase CO2 intensity.
This study employs the Causal Machine Learning (CausalML) statistical method to analyze the influence of electricity pricing policies on carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the household sector. Investigating the causality between potential outcomes and treatment effects, where changes in pricing policies are the treatment, our analysis challenges the conventional wisdom surrounding incentive-based electricity pricing. The study's findings suggest that adopting such policies may inadvertently increase CO2 intensity. Additionally, we integrate a machine learning-based meta-algorithm, reflecting a contemporary statistical approach, to enhance the depth of our causal analysis. The study conducts a comparative analysis of learners X, T, S, and R to ascertain the optimal methods based on the defined question's specified goals and contextual nuances. This research contributes valuable insights to the ongoing dialogue on sustainable development practices, emphasizing the importance of considering unintended consequences in policy formulation.