National Low Carbon Fuel Standard

National Low Carbon Fuel Standard PDF Author: Sonia Yeh
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Petroleum fuels make up essentially all of the transportation fuels used today. But fossil fuel use has many economic and environmental downsides, including a weakening of our energy security due to reliance on imported energy sources, air pollution that impacts health, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that contribute to climate change. To reduce fossil fuel use and GHG emissions in the transportation sector and improve energy security requires a coordinated effort to reduce travel demand, improve vehicle efficiency, and switch to cleaner, lower-carbon fuels. Here we focus on switching to new fuels and examine the potential role a national low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) can play in bringing this about. This report analyzes the costs and benefits of a national LCFS policy, together with or in place of the existing national Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2). The companion report, National Low Carbon Fuel Standard: Policy Design Recommendations (PDR), suggests how best to design an LCFS. Both consider the possibility of an LCFS replacing or being adopted alongside RFS2.

National Low Carbon Fuel Standard

National Low Carbon Fuel Standard PDF Author: Sonia Yeh
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Petroleum fuels make up essentially all of the transportation fuels used today. But fossil fuel use has many economic and environmental downsides, including a weakening of our energy security due to reliance on imported energy sources, air pollution that impacts health, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that contribute to climate change. To reduce fossil fuel use and GHG emissions in the transportation sector and improve energy security requires a coordinated effort to reduce travel demand, improve vehicle efficiency, and switch to cleaner, lower-carbon fuels. Here we focus on switching to new fuels and examine the potential role a national low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) can play in bringing this about. This report analyzes the costs and benefits of a national LCFS policy, together with or in place of the existing national Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2). The companion report, National Low Carbon Fuel Standard: Policy Design Recommendations (PDR), suggests how best to design an LCFS. Both consider the possibility of an LCFS replacing or being adopted alongside RFS2.

National Low Carbon Fuel Standard

National Low Carbon Fuel Standard PDF Author: Sonia Yeh
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
The abundance and low cost of petroleum over the past 150 years has enabled rapid economic growth and extraordinary mobility advancements. But dependence on petroleum fuels also has large downsides, including dependence on insecure supplies, volatile prices causing high economic costs, polluted and unhealthy air, climate change, and increasing threats to local environments as production moves into more fragile areas. The transition to low-carbon alternative transportation fuels is becoming more urgent. But their introduction is inhibited by a long list of market conditions and failures. These include sunk investments and technology lock-in by the automotive and energy industries, other forms of technological and market inertia impeding investments in deployment and R&D, cartel pricing, and the failure of markets to assign a price to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Various policies might be adopted to overcome these market conditions and barriers, ranging from pure market instruments such as carbon taxes to prescriptive mandates and voluntary actions. Each has different advantages and disadvantages. Some are easier to implement administratively, some are more economically efficient, and some are more effective in accelerating investments. None is perfect. One of the most compelling, assuming some level of urgency, is a broad, performance-based policy that targets greenhouse gas reduction -- what we refer to as a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS). In this report, we integrate scientific knowledge of alternative fuels -- including an assessment of economic, administrative, institutional, equity, political, and technological considerations -- to aid us in proposing a policy design for an LCFS for the United States. We have aimed for a policy design that would be effective, economically efficient, and broadly acceptable. An LCFS is a policy designed to accelerate the transition to low-carbon alternative transportation fuels by stimulating innovation and investment in new fuels and technologies. The goal is to provide a durable policy framework that will stimulate innovation and technological development. Since 2007, variations of an LCFS policy have been adopted by California, the European Union (Fuel Quality Directive, FQD), and British Columbia (Renewable and Low-Carbon Fuel Requirement Regulation, RLCFRR). Other states in the United States have been exploring the adoption of an LCFS policy, including states in the Midwest and the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic region, and the states of Oregon and Washington. The design of an LCFS is premised on the use of technology-neutral performance targets and credit trading, with the intent of harnessing market forces and providing industry with flexibility. It is also premised on the use of life-cycle measurements of GHG emissions, to assure that emissions are regulated effectively and scientifically. An LCFS is a hybrid of a regulatory and market policy instrument. It does not include mandates for any particular fuel or technology and as such does not attempt to pick winners or losers. Instead, it defines an average emissions intensity standard -- measured in grams CO2 equivalent per mega-joule of fuel energy (gCO2e/MJ) -- that all energy providers must achieve across all fuels they provide. Many options exist for meeting the standard. Regulated parties are free to employ any combination of strategies that suits their particular circumstances and perspectives -- including the purchase of credits from other companies. The breadth and reach of an LCFS, and the challenge of implementing an innovative policy, means that adoption of a national LCFS will not be easy or straightforward and will require careful analysis and design. It is necessary to address the cost-effectiveness of the policy (compared with other similar GHG policies) and to analyze ease of administration, fairness, equity, market flexibility, and impacts on energy security and sustainability. We have done so in a companion report, National Low Carbon Fuel Standard: Technical Analysis Report (TAR). This Policy Design Recommendations (PDR) report builds on insights and findings from the TAR. Below we recommend key policy design principles that chart a path toward developing a national LCFS policy.

Greenhouse Gas Reductions Under Low Carbon Fuel Standards?

Greenhouse Gas Reductions Under Low Carbon Fuel Standards? PDF Author: Stephen P. Holland
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Greenhouse effect, Atmospheric
Languages : en
Pages : 57

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Book Description
A low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by limiting a fuel producer's carbon emissions per unit of output. California has launched an LCFS for transportation fuels; others have called for a national LCFS. We show that this policy decreases production of high-carbon fuels but increases production of low-carbon fuels. The net effect of this may be an increase in carbon emissions. The LCFS cannot be first best, and the best LCFS may reduce social welfare. We simulate the outcomes of a national LCFS, focusing on gasoline and ethanol as the high- and low-carbon fuels. For a broad range of parameters, we find that the LCFS is unlikely to increase CO2 emissions. However, the surplus losses from the LCFS are likely to be quite large ($80 to $760 billion annually for a national LCFS reducing carbon intensities by 10 percent), energy prices are likely to increase, and the average carbon cost ($307 to $2,272 per ton of CO2 for the same LCFS) can be much larger than damage estimates. We describe an efficient policy that achieves the same emissions reduction at a much lower surplus cost ($16 to $290 billion) and much lower average carbon cost ($60 to $868 per ton of CO2).

Greenhouse Gas Reductions Under Low Carbon Fuel Standards?

Greenhouse Gas Reductions Under Low Carbon Fuel Standards? PDF Author: Stephen P. Holland
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 59

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Book Description
A low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by limiting a fuel producer's carbon emissions per unit of output. California has launched an LCFS for transportation fuels; others have called for a national LCFS. We show that this policy decreases production of high-carbon fuels but increases production of low-carbon fuels. The net effect of this may be an increase in carbon emissions. The LCFS cannot be first best, and the best LCFS may reduce social welfare. We simulate the outcomes of a national LCFS, focusing on gasoline and ethanol as the high- and low-carbon fuels. For a broad range of parameters, we find that the LCFS is unlikely to increase CO2 emissions. However, the surplus losses from the LCFS are likely to be quite large ($80 to $760 billion annually for a national LCFS reducing carbon intensities by 10 percent), energy prices are likely to increase, and the average carbon cost ($307 to $2,272 per ton of CO2 for the same LCFS) can be much larger than damage estimates. We describe an efficient policy that achieves the same emissions reduction at a much lower surplus cost ($16 to $290 billion) and much lower average carbon cost ($60 to $868 per ton of CO2).

Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions Through National Ambient Air Quality Standards

Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions Through National Ambient Air Quality Standards PDF Author: Jeff Kessler
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 17

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Book Description
Classification of carbon dioxide as a criteria pollutant under the National Ambient Air Quality Syandard (NAAQS) may effectively trigger a form of cap and trade policy that promotes reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on a regional basis over time. While economy-wide cap and trade policy supports abatement at the lowest possible cost, it is not the most effective option for reducing GHG emissions in the transportation sector. Instead, we propose that transportation emission reductions be addressed through a Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) implemented through State Implementation Plans. Regional LCFS implementations may interact differently in isolation than when they are harmonized. We have modeled LCFS implementation in New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington in isolation and as an aggregated region to reflect what could occur under NAAQS-based LCFS implementation. Results indicate that harmonized standards across regions may substantially ease the burden of transitioning away from gasoline and diesel compared to isolated regional standards. Additionally, the existing implementation of the Environmental Protection Agency's Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator model does not account for life-cycle GHG emissions, meaning that fuel policy will not factor into State Implementation Plans unless modifications to the model are made to account for life-cycle carbon dioxide emissions associated with fuel types.

Hearing to Review Low Carbon Fuel Standard Proposals

Hearing to Review Low Carbon Fuel Standard Proposals PDF Author: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Agriculture
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 94

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Book Description


Biojet Fuel in Aviation Applications

Biojet Fuel in Aviation Applications PDF Author: Cheng Tung Chong
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 012823072X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 360

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Book Description
Biojet fuels have the potential to make an important contribution towards decarbonising the aviation sector. Biojet Fuel in Aviation Applications: Production, Usage and Impact of Biofuels covers all aspects of this sustainable aviation fuel including aviation biofuel public policies, production technologies, physico-chemical properties, combustion performances, techno-economics of sustainable fuel production, sustainability and energywater-food (EWF) nexus. This must-have book also charts the current state of the industry by discussing the relevant industry players who are currently producing alternative aviation fuels and flight tests, while also providing a glimpse of the future of the industry. This comprehensive book is written for undergraduate students, postgraduate students, researchers, engineers and policy makers wanting to build up knowledge in the specific area of biojet fuel or the broader fields of sustainable energy and aeronautics. Reviews major aviation and biojet fuel policies, legislations, initiatives and roadmaps around the world Features existing and emerging biojet fuel production pathways from various feedstocks Highlights the key properties of biojet fuels that ensures inter-operability with conventional jet aviation fuel Discusses the economic aspects of the biojet fuel industry and the barriers preventing its commercialisation Examines the sustainability of biojet fuel from a life cycle assessment, energy balance and EWF nexus point of views

Implementing Performance-Based Sustainability Requirements for the Low Carbon Fuel Standard - Key Design Elements and Policy Considerations

Implementing Performance-Based Sustainability Requirements for the Low Carbon Fuel Standard - Key Design Elements and Policy Considerations PDF Author: Sonia Yeh
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) adopted by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) on April 23, 2009 requires a 10% reduction in the average greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity of the state's transportation fuels by 2020. This regulation is expected to reduce lifecycle GHG emissions per year by 20-25 million metric tons by 2020. Given available technology options, biofuels are expected to play a major role toward achieving the target. However, the rapid expansion of biofuel production may have environmental and social impacts at local, regional, and international levels. In response, many governments and national consortia have adopted sustainability requirements for their biofuel programs. The CARB is to propose a strategic plan for addressing overall sustainability provisions for the LCFS, for consideration by the Board for adoption by the end of 2011.

Low Carbon Fuel Standard

Low Carbon Fuel Standard PDF Author: Bracmort
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description


Low-Carbon Transportation Policies

Low-Carbon Transportation Policies PDF Author: Jeremy Moorhouse
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Electronic book
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description