Research Highlights Archive

Paper Explores Global Sharing of Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions

Jacoby, H.D., et al. “Sharing the Burden of GHG Reductions”, Post-Kyoto International Climate Policy: Implementing Architectures for Agreement. J.F. Aldy and R.N. Stavins, eds., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2010, 753–785 (EPRI Product E233131). This paper describes a technique developed for estimating the allowance allocations to sixteen countries and regional groups in a global cap-and-trade system and the associated financial transfers necessary to achieve predetermined distributional outcomes of welfare costs. Different cases were studied for splitting allocations between developed and developing countries. The authors found that simple rules of allocation are incapable of dealing with the highly varying circumstances of different countries. They also found that the G8 countries’ proposed goal of a 50% reduction in global emissions by 2050 is very ambitious and not achievable without universal participation and a complex web of unprecedented levels of financial transfers to the developing world. For more information, contact Geoff Blanford, (650) 855-2126.

Requirements for Using Large-Scale Biomass Energy Systems

Luckow, P., et al. “Large-scale utilization of biomass energy and carbon dioxide capture and storage in the transport and electricity sectors under stringent CO2 concentration limit scenarios”, International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 2010, 4(5), 865–877 (EPRI Product E233133). This paper describes the required climate, energy, and land use policies needed to minimize unintended consequences associated with large-scale bioenergy production. The authors performed quantitative modeling of changes in the global energy system in response to climate policies using the global change assessment model developed at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The authors show that, given a climate policy in which terrestrial carbon is valued equally with carbon emitted from the energy system, biomass energy has the potential to be an important emissions control strategy. Despite the higher technology costs of carbon dioxide capture and storage, it is a very important tool in controlling the cost of meeting a target, by offsetting the venting of CO2 from sectors of the energy system that may be more expensive to mitigate, such as oil use in transportation. For more information, contact Geoff Blanford, (650) 855-2126.

EPRI Continues GHG Offset Policy Dialogue with Exploration of California's New GHG Offsets Program

Representatives from the policymaking, environmental, industrial, financial, and research communities gathered in San Francisco, CA for EPRI's most recent greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions offsets workshop. The 10th workshop held on April 7, 2011 explored the development and implementation of California's new GHG emissions offsets program that is being developed by the CA Air Resources Board (ARB) in conjunction with the State's new GHG cap-and-trade program. For more information, contact Adam Diamant, (510) 260-9105.


Corporate Carbon Strategy Report Published

Corporate Carbon Strategy and Procurement of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Offsets for Compliance with Mandatory Carbon Constraints (EPRI Product 1019911). This Technical Update describes strategies that may be employed by electric companies and others to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to comply with potential future mandatory GHG emissions reduction programs. The report explores the opportunities, challenges, and risks associated with reducing GHG emissions from within a company's own operations, as well as other approaches that may be used for compliance, such as real-time coal-to-natural gas fuel switching in the regional dispatch of electric power plants. More specifically, this report explores in depth the benefits, challenges, and risks associated with commercial procurement of GHG emissions offsets by electric companies and other entities who may wish to use offsets as a key component of future corporate carbon compliance strategies. For more information, contact Adam Diamant, (510) 260-9105.

Differences in Cost Estimates for Mitigating Climate Change

Winchester, N., et al. “Costs of Mitigating Climate Change in the United States”, Annual Review of Resource Economics, 2010, 2, 257–273 (EPRI Product E233136). This paper sheds light on the reasons for the wide range of cost estimates for reducing of greenhouse gas emissions to 80% below 2005 levels by 2050. Factors contributing to uncertainty in the cost estimates found in different studies fall into two categories: economic uncertainties (economic growth, technology availability, consumer response to costs) and policy implementation details that may not be well defined or known. The authors use a consistent modeling framework and varied economic and policy assumptions to illustrate their findings. For more information, contact Geoff Blanford, (650) 855-2126.

EPRI Hosts Webcast to Summarize 9th GHG Emissions Offset Policy Dialogue Workshop (Members Only)

On December 2, EPRI hosted a members-only webcast to summarize the discussion held on October 28, 2010 in Washington D.C. at the 9th EPRI GHG emissions offsets workshop. More than 70 representatives from the policymaking, environmental, industrial, electric power, financial and research communities participated in the original workshop which explored the key roles of the different offset market participants, different corporate compliance strategies that have evolved in compliance carbon markets to develop and purchase GHG offsets, and highlight options to finance offset projects and manage risk. The presentation from this EPRI webcast is available here to EPRI Program 102 and 103 funders only. For more information, contact Adam Diamant, (510) 260-9105, adiamant@epri.com.

Implications of Integrating Wind at Scales that Matter for Climate Policy

EPRI's Victor Niemeyer discussed the "Implications of Integrating Wind at Scales that Matter for Climate Policy (PDF 778KB)," at the Combustion Turbine Operations Task Force Workshop on Integrating Renewables into the Generation Mix, September 13, in Reno, Nevada. The presentation looked at the potential for wind to replace existing coal generation as part of a national policy to reduce carbon emissions. Even though potential wind resources are huge, there are major limitations to how, and how much wind can be used to replace coal. These include the cost of new interregional transmission, and the anti-correlation of wind occurrence with load. For more information, contact Victor Niemeyer, (650) 855-2262, niemeyer@epri.com.

EPRI Continues GHG Offset Policy Dialogue with Exploration of Commercial Procurement of GHG Offsets

Representatives from the policymaking, environmental, industrial, financial, and research communities gathered in Washington, DC for EPRI's latest greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions offsets workshop. The 9th workshop explored electric company decision-making related to "building" versus "buying" GHG emissions offsets and the organizations and mechanisms related to commercial procurement of GHG emissions offsets in the market. For more information, contact Adam Diamant, (510) 260-9105, adiamant@epri.com.

2010 Summer Seminar Includes Updated Assessment of the Potential Response of the Electricity Sector to Climate Policy Initiatives

EPRI's 2010 Summer Seminar, attended by experts from the electricity sector, academia, and governmental and non-governmental groups, provided preliminary insights into the implications of climate policy for the electricity sector, gained through analyses using EPRI's regional generation (REGEN) model. The seminar also discussed the challenges faced by the electric power industry as it seeks to incorporate greater amounts of renewable energy into its future generation mix.

Three EPRI Scientists Selected as Lead Authors for Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 5th Assessment

Richard Richels, Geoffrey Blanford, and Steven Rose have been selected to serve as part of the writing team for the next IPCC assessment report, slated for publication in 2013-2014.

EPRI's Steve Rose Interviewed on "Clean Skies"

Steve Rose was interviewed by the Clean Skies Energy and Environmental Network regarding expectations for the 5th IPCC assessment report, for which Rose is a lead author on assessing pathways for transition from today's energy system to a low-carbon energy system.

Emission Offsets in a U.S. Cap-and-Trade Program

This EPRI report considers the specific greenhouse gas emission reduction requirements that the electric sector and other sectors covered under a U.S. cap-and-trade bill may face, and the role that emissions offsets could play in helping to meet these requirements cost-effectively.

EPRI Analyzes Transition Scenarios for Achieving Climate Stabilization
Energy Modeling Forum Focuses on Feasibility of Global GHG Reduction Targets

EPRI assessed the feasibility of reaching global targets for GHG reductions examining transition scenarios defined by the Energy Modeling Forum (EMF) 22 study. Key findings showed that full global participation is necessary to achieve long-term climate goals, certain aggressive goals are unattainable when developing countries delay participation and the current global recession affects near-term economic growth but does not alter long-term climate results. The analysis also compared international results with U.S. scenarios designed to represent current domestic proposals. Useful insights were gained on the treatment of non-CO2 gases and the role of banking and borrowing. Results were presented to policymakers at an EMF briefing in Washington, DC. A paper has been published in Energy Economics (Blanford, G.J., R.G. Richels, and T.F. Rutherford (2009). Feasible Climate Targets: The Roles of Economic Growth, Coalition Development, and Expectations. Energy Economics 31, pp S82-S93, doi:10.1016/j.eneco.2009.06.003.). For more information, contact Geoff Blanford, (650) 855-2126, gblanford@epri.com or Richard Richels, (202) 293-7510, rrichels@epri.com.

New EPRI Report Published on the Key Role of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Offsets in a U.S. Greenhouse Gas Cap-and-trade Program

This EPRI report considers the specific greenhouse gas emission reduction requirements that the electric sector and other sectors covered under a U.S. cap-and-trade bill may face, and the role that emissions offsets could play in helping to meet these requirements cost-effectively.

EPRI Report 1019910 (PDF 1.29MB)

2009 EPRI Prism-MERGE Update
Analysis for Technology Options and Electricity Costs in a Low Carbon Future

Kicking off EPRI’s 2009 Summer Seminar “Creating Our Future,” EPRI President and CEO Steve Specker presented the updated Prism and MERGE analysis showing how a full portfolio of electricity sector technologies could address the dual challenge of meeting demand growth and CO2 emissions constraints, while limiting electricity cost increases.