This chapter provides an overview of the purpose of the overall guide, Quantifying the Multiple Benefits of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: A Guide for State and Local Governments. It defines energy efficiency and renewable energy and describes why quantifying the multiple benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy may be valuable to a decision maker or analyst. This chapter sets the context for the subsequent chapters that describe the framework, methods, and tools analysts can use to quantify the electricity system, emissions and health, and economic benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy.

• Part One: The Multiple Benefits of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (PDF)(17 pp, 877 K)