Climate Solutions Series: Deep Decarbonization Pathways

Reducing emissions to lessen the long-term impacts of a warming climate has been a shared objective of the international community for decades. To date, progress toward this goal has not kept pace with pathways necessary to deliver a stabilized climate by the end of the century. The result is that the emissions pathways necessary to achieve this target relative to current activity are necessarily steeper and the energy and land-use system changes required are more abrupt. The current scientific consensus indicates that to stabilize the climate and prevent the most catastrophic effects of climate change, we must reduce greenhouse gas …

Investing in Failure

Decarbonizing the electricity sector is critical to achieving climate goals. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2018 report found that global carbon emissions must be cut by nearly half by 2030, and then reach net-zero by 2050 if we are to have a 50 percent chance at limiting warming to 1.5° C above pre-industrial levels. The power sector is responsible for 33 percent of U.S. energy related CO2 emissions according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), and decarbonization of the power sector is critical to enabling other sectors, such as transportation, to decarbonize through electrification.

Three …

A New Energy Strategy for the Western Hemisphere

The Western Hemisphere has a unique advantage in global energy markets. It is rich in natural resources, from conventional fuels such as oil and natural gas, to critical minerals such as lithium for batteries. The region is also poised to become a leader in newer and emerging energy resources. It has, for example, abundant potential for solar and wind energy and other advanced energy technologies, such as nuclear energy. It enjoys high and rapidly growing levels of renewable energy, especially in power generation, largely based on significant levels of legacy, utility-scale hydropower. Many of the Americas’ subregions share cross-border electric …

THE D^2S AGENDA

“If solutions within this system are so impossible to find, then maybe we should change the system itself.” This is the message of Greta Thunberg and the youth activists around the world demanding climate action. It is simple and powerful. Yet few global efforts are dedicated to making it happen – to changing the systems that are inhibiting transformative climate actions.

Most climate mitigation strategies approach the climate crisis principally as a carbon management problem, focusing on reducing emissions by sector (e.g. energy, transport, or food). Sector-based emissions reduction work is critical, but it is not sufficient. This is because, …

The Drawdown Review

Since the 2017 publication of the New York Times bestseller, Drawdown, the organization has emerged as a leading resource for information and insight about climate solutions. We continue to develop that resource by conducting rigorous review and assessment of climate solutions, creating compelling and human communication across mediums, and partnering with efforts to accelerate climate solutions globally.

Cities, universities, corporations, philanthropies, policymakers, communities, and more turn to Project Drawdown, as they look to advance effective climate action. We aim to support the growing constellation of efforts to move climate solutions forward and move the world toward Drawdown—as quickly, safely, and …

Implementing Transitions for the New Energy Economy

The second annual Energy Week was co-chaired Ernest Moniz and Andy Karsner and explored recent developments in electricity markets, technology, decarbonization, and cyber security. The forum, which took place in Aspen, Colorado, brought together ~65 experts from corporate, government, academia, and non-profits during August 6-10, 2019.…

How Clean is “Refined Coal”? An Empirical Assessment of a Billion-Dollar Tax Credit

US tax law provides nearly $1 billion annually in tax credits for “refined coal”, which is supposed to reduce local air pollution. Eligibility for the credit requires firms to demonstrate legally specified emissions reductions for three pollutants. Firms typically demonstrate eligibility through laboratory tests, but results from the lab can differ from those in practice. Using a nationally comprehensive boiler-level panel dataset, we find that emission reductions in practice are only about half of the levels required. We also show that the policy reduces social welfare. Because the tax credit is up for reauthorization in 2021, our work has immediate …

Investment Tax Credits for Hydrogen Storage

Hydrogen in the Energy Storage Tax Incentive and Deployment Act of 2019

The Energy Storage Tax Incentive and Deployment Act of 2019, introduced by Representative Mike Doyle as H.R. 2096 and by Senator Martin Heinrich as S. 1142, would have extended the 30 percent energy investment tax credit to energy storage technologies, “equipment which receives, stores, and delivers energy.” With hydrogen among the technologies specified, the act would have had the potential to (1) motivate the utilization of hydrogen to store and deliver power and (2) reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from hydrogen production. This tax credit was not included …

Adapting Existing Energy Planning, Simulation, and Operational Models for Resilience Analysis

Resilience is a topic receiving much attention in relation to energy systems, with particular attention being paid to the supply of electricity. Within the context of the electricity system, definitions of resilience encompass holistic concepts that emphasize preparing for, absorbing, adapting to, and recovering from interruptions in electricity supply (White House 2013; DHS 2013; Hotchkiss and Dane 2019; Watson et al. 2014; Stankovic and Tomsovic 2018). Recent research has focused on understanding the resilience of the electricity sector to a core set of disruptions, which reflects (1) the economy’s increased dependence on electricity, (2) multiple emerging threats to the system …

Ride-Hailing’s Climate Risks

Ride-hailing is an attractive option for many travelers, and can increase mobility for households who lack a private vehicle. Yet in communities across the country, ride-hailing is increasing vehicle travel, climate pollution, and congestion.

The explosive growth of ride-hailing services, including Uber and Lyft, is increasing climate pollution and urban congestion. As the climate crisis becomes even more urgent, it is more important than ever for the ride-hailing industry to contribute to a lower carbon, more sustainable transportation system.

Our analysis shows that ride-hailing trips today result in an estimated 69 percent more climate pollution on average than the trips …