TRANSPORTATION
Transportation Policy | Bioenergy: Biofuels | Vehicle Technologies
Today's personal transportation system is primarily based on oil extraction, refining, gasoline distribution, roads, and vehicles, but each of these could be challenged by climate change. Transportation solutions can be found in many policies and technologies. Increasingly, biofuels are becoming part of the system, and technologies such as cellulosic ethanol promise to displace a significant supply of oil. Plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles may effectively integrate the transportation system with the electricity system, also displacing oil. Land-use planning and public transit are key components of a larger transportation system that offers low-cost low-carbon options.
CCPP research will focus on the three major options for reducing GHG emissions from the transportation sector - reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT), decreasing the amount of carbon in fuels, and expanding the use advanced vehicle technologies.
Transportation Policy
The CCPP's Transportation Policy Program is focused on supporting the transition to a low-carbon transportation system. Current research examines the potential personal transportation behavior effects of a carbon cap and trade system as envisioned by recent legislative proposals. With the limited effects of carbon pricing anticipated, CCPP will develop a series of policy briefs on complementary policy alternatives that show promise for limiting GHG emissions from the transportation industry. Additional research will examine land use and urban planning policies that can influence VMT, the relationship of GHG emissions to different proposed transportation funding mechanisms, effective performance standards and outcomes for transportation projects, the climate change effects of different congestion relief alternatives, and the most effective potential uses of cap & trade auction revenues for the transportation sector.
CCPP is also closely tracking the climate-related implications of current legislative proposals outside the surface transportation reauthorization bill and carbon cap and trade legislation (both expected in 2009). The application of transportation infrastructure spending can have quantifiably different long-term greenhouse gas emissions implications; CCPP is working to understand and describe these differences and offer policy alternatives.
Publications:
Craig Raborn. 2009. Transportation Emissions Response to Carbon Pricing Programs. Climate Change Policy Partnership, Duke University, Durham, NC. 35p.
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Project Experts: Craig Raborn, Lydia Olander
Project Contact: Craig Raborn, craig.raborn@duke.edu, (919) 660-0115
Bioenergy: Biofuels
The CCPP's biofuels project identifies specific gaps in biofuels research and helps inform lawmakers about policy options and their implications. We are analyzing federal policy options for integrating biofuels into a comprehensive climate policy. We are also evaluating implications of federal biofuels policy such as the renewable fuel standard.
Publications:
Galik, C.S., W. Hodgson, C. Raborn, and P. Bean. 2009. Integrating Biofuels into Comprehensive Climate Policy - An Overview of Biofuels Policy Options. Climate Change Policy Partnership, Duke University, Durham, NC. 54p.
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Project Experts: Christopher Galik, Justin Baker
Project Contact: Christopher Galik, christopher.galik@duke.edu, 919-681-7193
Vehicle Technologies
The CCPP is conducting research on advanced vehicles to evaluate technology options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Plug-in hybrids are often touted as a key technology for reducing carbon emissions in the transportation sector, but few comprehensive studies have been done that model the complex interaction of plug-in hybrids and the electricity sector. The CCPP is evaluating the full emissions profile and cost of plug-in hybrids on a national and regional basis and comparing results to regular hybrids and conventional vehicles.
The CCPP is also evaluating a wider range of advanced vehicle technologies (hybrid, plug-in hybrid, diesel, natural gas, and fuel cell) and ranking them according to potential CO2 savings, development cost, barriers to entry, infrastructure needs, and technological risk. The CCPP is also developing a complementary tool in Excel to allow users to enter the mix of new vehicle technologies over time, and the tool will then forecast CO2 emissions that would result.
- Transportation Technologies and Potential Greenhouse Gas Reductions Background Paper
WORK IN PROGRESS:
Publications:
E. Williams. 2008. Plug-in and regular hybrids: A national and regional comparison of costs and CO2 emissions. Climate Change Policy Partnership, Duke University, Durham, NC. 37p.
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Project Experts: Craig Raborn, Eric Williams
Project Contact: Craig Raborn, craig.raborn@duke.edu, (919) 660-0115
