2010 Environment & Energy Conference

Monday, 7 June 2010

Vehicle Electrification: How Close/Ready Are We?

This session differentiates the attributes of plug-in electric vehicles - plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles - showing that they will serve fundamentally different markets and present different problems and opportunities for electric utilities.

Moderator: Dan Santini, Center for Transportation Research, Argonne National Laboratory

  1. Electric Power Consumption by Light-Duty Plug-in Electric Vehicles - Di Wu, Professor, Transportation Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, Iowa State
  2. On the Cost Effectiveness of PHEV in Suburbia - Anant Vyas, Systems Engineer, Center for Transportation Research, Argonne National Laboratory
  3. Plug-in Electric Drive Impacts on the Grid - Arindam Maitra, Senior Project Manager, PHEV Infrastructure, Electric Power Research Institute

Legislative Updates: Energy, Climate, and Fuel Policies

This panel will provide updates on pending climate and energy legislation and how they stand to impact transportation. Representing stakeholder groups and policy makers, the panel will discuss issues that are guiding the development of these policies and the challenges they may face when enacted.

Co-sponsor: ADC80

Moderator: Craig Raborn, Climate Change Policy Partnership, Duke University

  1. Energy Security and Transportation Policy - Deron Lovass, Director of Federal Transportation Policy, National Resources Defense Council
  2. Supply-Related Challenges of Transportation Biofuel Policy - Christopher Galik, Research Coordinator, Climate Change Policy Partnership, Duke University
  3. Reducing GHG Emissions Through National Renewable Fuel Standards - Robert Larson, Envrionmental Protection Agency
  4. Topic – Senate Perspectives On Climate Bills - Staff, U.S. Senate (invited)

Tuesday, 8 June 2010

Low Carbon and Renewable Fuels Policy: Issues and Updates

Interest in low carbon and renewable fuels policies as a means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions is growing rapidly. Calif. initiated a low carbon fuel standard for light-duty vehicles in 2007. Federal fuel economy standards have long included a flexible fuel provision that encourages production of E85-capable light-duty vehicles. In February 2010, the EPA issued its final rule for the renewable fuels standards rule required by the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act. To help build objective, scientific knowledge in support of good public policy, speakers at this session discuss the issues surrounding low carbon and renewable fuels policy.

Co-sponsor: ADC80

Moderator: Walter McManus, Transportation Research Institute, University of Michigan

  1. Optimal Use of Biomass – End-use Competition for Feedstocks across the Energy System - Tim Johnson, Senior Environmental Scientist, Energy and Climate Assessment Team, US Environmental Protection Agency
  2. California LCFS and the Long Road to ZEV - Kevin McMahon, Partner, Martec Group
  3. “Gen-2” Cellulosic Ethanol: An Ethanol Producer's Perspective - Dr. Mark Stowers, Senior Vice President of Science and Technology, Poet, LLC

Wednesday, 9 June 2010

Beyond LDV’s: Energy Use and GHG Emissions from Heavy Duty Trucks

This session will explore economic, technological and regulatory developments to improve the environmental performance (energy use and GHG) of Heavy Duty Vehicles. Two key questions could be: What are the most promising technologies to reduce GHG emissions from Heavy Duty Vehicles? What economic and regulatory incentives could be adopted to foster the adoption of clean technologies for Heavy Duty Vehicles?

Moderator: Jean-Daniel Saphores, Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California – Irvine

  1. Greenhouse Gas Emissions from U.S. Heavy-Duty Trucks: Understanding Key Trends, 1990-2008 - John Davies, Environmental Protection Specialist, Sustainable Transport and Climate Change Team, US Department of Transportation
  2. Overview of the Best Practices for Reducing GHG Emissions in Freight Transport - Chris Frey, Professor, North Carolina State University
  3. Reducing GHG Emissions and Fuel Consumption from Heavy-Duty Long Haul Trucks - Coralie Cooper, Transportation Program Manager, Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management
  4. Lean, Green, and Legal – Benefits of Heavy Vehicle Idle Reduction - Linda Gaines, Systems Analyst, Center for Transportation Research, Argonne National Laboratory

How to Achieve a Low Carbon Transport System in 2050

This session will focus on "How” to achieve the system: what are the transitional barriers to a low carbon transport system and what are the strategies to overcome these barriers. Barriers discussed include regulation, special interests, consumer acceptance, and system dynamics.

Moderator: Jonathan Rubin, Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center, University of Maine

  1. US Household Preferences for Alternative Fuel Vehicles – Results from a National Survey - Jean-Daniel Saphores, Associate Professor, Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California - Irvine
  2. Topic – Network Effect and its Policy Implication - David Greene, Corporate Fellow, Center for Transportation Analysis, Oak Ridge National Labs
  3. Transportation Politics and Policy - Nick Nigro, Solutions Fellow, Pew Center on Global Climate Change

Impact of Climate Policy on Transportation

Broad climate policies can have unanticipated consequences for the transportation sector, and can interact with transportation policies. This session will examine combinations of policies, such as economy-wide carbon policies, CAFE standards, and transportation infrastructure financing and implications for GHG emissions and the transportation system.

Moderator: Diana Bauer, Office of Policy and International Affairs, US Department of Energy

  1. Carbon Pricing Effects on Transportation Activity - Craig Raborn, Transportation Analyst, Climate Change Policy Partnership, Duke University
  2. The Effect of State-level Climate Policies on Transportation - Nick Nigro, Solutions Fellow, Pew Center on Global Climate Change
  3. The Interplay Between Climate Policy and Transportation Financing - Jonathan Gifford, Dean, School of Public Policy, George Mason University

Balancing Energy Security, Carbon Mitigation, and Sustainability

The principle objective of this session is to highlight the interplay, competition, and complementarities between the three objectives of climate, energy security, and sustainability. Short (15 minute) formal presentations will be followed by panel discussion.

Co-sponsor: ADD40

Moderator: Paul Leiby, Science and Technology Policy Group, Oak Ridge National Labs

  1. A Roadmap for a Secure and Low Carbon Energy Economy - Kathryn Zyla, Director of Research and Policy Analysis, Federal Climate Resources Center, Georgetown University
  2. Energy Security and Climate Change - Diana Bauer, Policy Analyst, Office of Policy and International Affairs, US Department of Energy
  3. Ecosystem Service Effects from Biofuels Production and Use - Elizabeth R. Smith, Director Regional Vulnerability Assessment Program, National Exposure Research Laboratory, US Environmental Protection Agency
  4. Trade-offs between Climate Change, Energy Security, and Wider Sustainability Issues: a European Perspective - Sujith Kollamthodi, Practice Leader - Sustainable Transport, AEA Technology