Report on the Federal Oil and Gas Leasing Program

This report responds to Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, which directed the Department of the Interior (DOI) to conduct a review of Federal oil and gas leasing and permitting practices. This report considers both onshore and offshore oil and gas leasing programs in light of the Secretary of the Interior’s broad stewardship responsibilities over public lands and Federal offshore waters. …

The 2021 EPA Automotive Trends Report

This annual report is part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) commitment to provide the public with information about new light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, fuel economy, technology data, and auto manufacturers’ performance in meeting the agency’s GHG emissions standards.

EPA has collected data on every new light-duty vehicle model sold in the United States since 1975, either from testing performed by EPA at the National Vehicle Fuel and Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan, or directly from manufacturers using official EPA test procedures. These data are collected to support several important national programs, including EPA criteria pollutant …

Perceived Unknowns About Gridless Water, Sanitation and Energy Services

This SEI report provides insights about the barriers that hold back the wider use and uptake of gridless technological innovations with the potential to expand access to energy, water and sanitation worldwide.…

Hydrogen: Critical Decarbonization Element for the Grid, Manufacturing, and Transportation: State Energy Policy, Program, and Planning Considerations

Hydrogen offers potential pathways for decarbonizing the electricity system, hard-to-electrify industrial and heating applications, and heavy transportation. It can provide large-scale and long-duration energy storage to balance variable power generation and demand. Hydrogen offers non-carbon paths as both energy and material input for ammonia, steel, fuels, and other production. It can be made from non-carbon renewable and nuclear generation as well as from fossil fuel sources that can be coupled with carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). There are economic development opportunities for new technologies, processes, and applications as well as to leverage and adapt some …

Moving Forward: The Role of Transportation Networking Companies in a Sustainable Future

The COVID-19 pandemic abruptly upended many facets of American life, including our transportation system. However, as vaccinations increase, some elements of our day-to-day routines are returning to “normal.” More Americans are flying or taking public transportation, and some offices that had closed are re-opening. When it comes to transportation—the leading source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the country—now is the moment to decide whether we want to return to the old status quo, or whether we can build a better future.

Transportation network companies (TNCs)—primarily Lyft and Uber—played an increasingly large role in urban transportation systems before the pandemic.  …

Energy Efficiency 2021

Energy Efficiency 2021 is the IEA’s annual update on global developments in energy efficiency. This year’s edition explores recent trends in energy efficiency markets at the economy-wide and sectoral levels, including developments in policy and investment.

The report also focuses on the role of energy efficiency in achieving net zero emissions in the energy sector by 2050, including an examination of the crucial role of efficient appliances and equipment, as well as all major energy efficiency net zero milestones in buildings, transport and industry.

In addition, the report analyses recent trends in digital innovation, examining how digitalization is expanding the …

The Role of Minerals in US Transportation Electrification Goals

Electric vehicles will play a pivotal role in US efforts to reduce emissions and meet climate commitments under the Paris agreement. For the United States to deliver on the “decade of ambition” President Biden declared at COP26 in Glasgow, it must tackle the 30 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions originating from transportation. To that end, the administration’s pledge to bring electric vehicle sales to 50 percent of the consumer car market is central to its plans to deploy clean energy infrastructure under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The administration’s goals of dramatically increased transportation electrification will shape US …

EPA’s Methane Proposal for the Oil and Gas Sector – A Strong Foundation to Reduce Methane Emissions and Regulatory Path for More

This paper focuses on those areas that could enable a regulatory framework to use advanced methane monitoring technologies and methods. We highlight key areas on which stakeholders may want to provide EPA comment to support a final rule that achieves significant emission reductions through the deployment of cost-effective technologies and approaches.…

Market, Policy, and Political Implications of the Global Natural Gas Crisis: Forum Report

On October 18, 2021, Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) hosted a special session of the Natural Gas Forum on the global nature of the current unexpected gas crisis, which has sparked chaos in many parts of the world. A number of factors have been put forward to explain the crisis, including a faster-than-expected pandemic recovery in economic demand that has precipitated global supply chain issues, extreme weather conditions around the world, and liquified natural gas (LNG) facility outages. The forum was an opportunity for participants to discuss the underlying causes of the global gas crisis and its …

Carbon Capture Versus Direct Air Capture

Carbon capture and direct air capture (DAC) have gained prominence in recent years as options to address climate change. The two technologies have similarities (beyond their names), but they also have differences. Key differences include how the technologies work, where the technology can be used, how the technology can address climate change, and levels of federal support.

The following analysis explains key differences between the two technologies to inform ongoing congressional deliberations regarding the merits of these technologies, rationale for federal support, and funding level considerations. Additional information, such as costs and other challenges, is …