Full Title: The Potential for Alternative Fuels in Building Decarbonization
Author(s): Elizabeth Traynor and Michael Waite
Publisher(s): American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date: April 30, 2025
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
Electrification of current fossil fuel end uses and a low-carbon electricity supply constitute the most proven approach to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly for buildings. Alternative fuels (a category of fuels that can be used instead of fossil fuels, including biofuels, hydrogen, and synthetic fuels) may provide a path to reducing emissions in hard-to-decarbonize sectors such as long-distance transportation, high-temperature industrial processes, load-following electricity generation (generation that can adjust power output to match fluctuating electricity demands), and certain thermal demands in buildings, such as space and water heating in cold climates. In this report, the authors survey potential supply and hard-to-decarbonize demands across sectors before a detailed analysis of building end uses.
In this report, the authors take a systematic approach to assess how alternative fuel supply and demand might develop, and what role alternative fuels might play in decarbonizing buildings in the context of other sectors. They evaluate potential integration challenges and how uses of alternative fuels might be prioritized. Finally, they consider policy options that could affect the alternative fuels market and fuel distribution across sectors.