Each week, we review the papers, studies, reports, and briefings posted at the “indispensable” RFF Library Blog, curated by RFF Librarian Chris Clotworthy.
…The US shale gas boom has already helped European consumers and hurt Russian producers by expanding global gas supply and freeing up liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments previously planned for the US market. This has strengthened Europe’s bargaining position, forcing contract renegotiations and lowering gas prices. US LNG exports will have a similar effect... – via Center on Global Energy Policy
The Effect of Natural Gas Supply on US Renewable Energy and CO2 Emissions
Increased use of natural gas has been promoted as a means of decarbonizing the US power sector, because of superior generator efficiency and lower CO2 emissions per unit of electricity than coal. We model the effect of different gas supplies on the US power sector and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Across a range of climate policies, we find that abundant natural gas decreases use of both coal and renewable energy technologies in the future. Without a climate policy, overall electricity use also increases as the gas supply increases... – via Environmental Research Letters
Well-to-wheel Analysis of Direct and Indirect Use of Natural Gas in Passenger Vehicles
[Green Car Congress] A well-to-wheels analysis of the use of natural gas for passenger vehicles by a team of researchers from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has found that, with a high PTW (pump-to-wheels) efficiency and the potential for high electrical generation efficiency with NGCC (natural gas combined cycle) turbines, natural gas currently is best used in an efficient stationary power application for charging EVs… – via Energy
Transforming the Electricity Portfolio: Lessons from Germany and Japan in Deploying Renewable Energy
Amid an ongoing international debate on the reduction of carbon emissions, Germany and Japan are undertaking a dramatic shift in their electricity portfolios. The 2011 Japanese earthquake and the subsequent Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility accident have sparked both Japanese and German energy policy to shift away from carbon-free nuclear energy and towards renewables. However, despite large gains in market share by renewables, these two countries have seen increases in both fossil fuel usage and carbon emissions as the market share of nuclear energy has declined… – via Brookings Institution
Flood Risk Management: Call for a National Strategy
[Minneapolis Star-Tribune] An organization of civil engineers is calling for a national strategy for mitigating flood risks, saying the U.S. has not fully heeded lessons from Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy. The American Society of Civil Engineers released its recommendations Monday during a conference on water issues in Philadelphia. The group is calling for Congress and the Obama Administration to develop a sustainable way to pay for infrastructure maintenance and updates to help manage floods. It also wants more use of nature, rather than engineered solutions such as levees, to help contain risks. And, it is calling for the federal government and other organizations to work together to educate the public about flooding and what can be done about it… – via American Society of Civil Engineers