Greenhouse Gas Reductions under Low Carbon Fuel Standards? Journal Article

Overview

abstract

• A low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by limiting the carbon intensity of fuels. We show this decreases high carbon fuel production but increases low carbon fuel production, possibly increasing net carbon emissions. The LCFS cannot be efficient, and the best LCFS may be nonbinding. We simulate a national LCFS on gasoline and ethanol. For a broad parameter range, emissions decrease, energy prices increase, abatement costs are large ($80–$760 billion annually), and average abatement costs are large ($307–$2,272 per CO2metric ton). A cost effective policy has much lower average abatement costs ($60–$868). (JEL Q54, Q58)

CU Boulder Authors

• Hughes, Jon

publication date

• February 1, 2009

has restriction

• bronze

Date in CU Experts

• July 8, 2014 12:10 PM

Full Author List

• Holland SP; Hughes JE; Knittel CR

author count

• 3

published in

• American Economic Journal: Economic Policy  Journal

Other Profiles

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

• 1945-7731

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

• 1945-774X

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• https://doi.org/10.1257/pol.1.1.106

Additional Document Info

start page

• 106

end page

• 146

volume

• 1

issue

• 1