Publications
Reducing the Energy Penalty Costs of Postcombustion CCS Systems with Amine-Storage
January 2012
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) can significantly reduce the amount of CO2 emitted from coal-fired power plants, but its high capital and operating costs are an important barrier. In this paper we analyze one alternative to reduce operating costs of amine-based CCS systems.
Myths and Facts About Electricity in the U.S. South
September 2011 - by Marilyn A. Brown, Etan Gumerman, Xiaojing Sun, Gyungwon Kim, Kenneth Sercy
This paper identifies six myths about clean electricity in the southern United States. These myths are either propagated by the public at-large, shared within the environmental advocacy culture, or spread imperceptibly between policy makers. Using a widely accepted energy-economic modeling tool, the paper exposes these myths as half-truths and the kind of conventional wisdom that constrains productive debate. In doing so, it identifies new starting points for energy policy development.
Renewable Energy in the South
December 2010 - by Marilyn A. Brown, Etan Gumerman, Youngsun Baek, Cullen Morris, Yu Wang
Transitioning away from increasingly scarce, carbon-intensive and polluting fossil fuels is one of the key challenges facing modern society. Prominent among the energy supply options, with inherently low life-cycle CO2 emissions, is a suite of renewable technologies that represent an opportunity to diversify energy resources. This report builds on a short policy brief released last summer and provides an in-depth assessment of the scope of renewable energy resources in the South and their economic impacts on electricity rates and utility bills in the region.
Cost of Wind: Comparing Distant Wind Resources to Local Resources in the Midwestern United States
October 2010
Published in the October 2010 issue of Environmental Science and Technology
The Near-Term Market and Greenhouse Gas Implications of Forest Biomass Utilization in the Southeastern United States
August 2010 - by Robert C. Abt, Christopher S. Galik, and Jesse D. Henderson
Renewable Energy in the South: A Policy Brief
July 2010 - by Marilyn A. Brown, Etan Gumerman, Youngsun Baek, Cullen Morris, Yu Wang
This working paper assesses the economic potential of renewable electricity generation in the South under alternative policy scenarios. Using a customized version of the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS), we examine the impact of 1) expanded and updated estimates of renewable resources, 2) a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), and 3) a Carbon-Constrained Future (CCF). Under the Expanded Renewables Scenario, renewable electricity generation doubles the output of the Reference forecast for the South. If a Federal RPS is imposed or the policies represented by our CCF scenario are implemented, we estimate that 15% to 30% of the South’s electricity could be generated from renewable sources. Among the renewable resources, wind, biomass, and hydro are anticipated to provide the most generation potential. As the integration of renewable sources expands through the modeled time horizon, wind gradually out-competes biomass in the renewable electricity market. Cost-effective customer-owned renewables could also contribute significantly to electricity generation by 2030 in the South, under supportive policies.
An Analysis of the Carbon Limits and Energy for America’s Renewal (CLEAR) Act and Comparison to Waxman-Markey
May 2010 - by Eric Williams
Residential Energy Efficiency and the American Clean Energy and Security Act HR 2454
July 2009 - by David Hoppock and Jonas Monast
Forest Biomass Supply in the Southeastern United States - Implications for Industrial Roundwood and Bioenergy Production
March 2009 - by Christopher S. Galik, Robert C. Abt and Yun Wu
The Influence of Technology and a Carbon Cap on Natural Gas Markets
March 2009 - by Dave Hoppock, Patrick Bean, Eric Williams
Transforming Utility and Ratepayer Support for Electrical Energy Efficiency Nationwide
November 2008 - by David Hoppock, Jonas Monast, and Eric Williams
This paper is one in a series by the CCPP at Duke University to explore the barriers facing large‐scale, low‐carbon electricity generation and increased efficiency in the near‐term – primarily the next ten to fifteen years. Policy drivers may be necessary to provide the right price signal to develop low‐carbon emission technologies, but a price signal alone may not be enough to enable broad‐scale deployment.1 Significant technical, legal, infrastructural, and social barriers prevent the implementation of the necessary technologies and efficiency improvements. The series provides an overview of the barriers and outlines general policy options for lawmakers who wish to speed the development and/or wide‐scale deployment of low-carbon energy technologies. It will include papers focusing on specific energy generation technologies, including renewable energy and energy storage, and energy efficiency, a cost effective near‐term option for displacing carbon‐intensive energy generation.
Wind Power: Barriers and Policy Solutions
November 2008 - by Chi-Jen Yang, Eric Williams and Jonas Monast
Transforming Utility and Ratepayer Support for Electrical Energy Efficiency Nationwide
November 2008 - by David Hoppock, Jonas Monast and Eric Williams
Document Actions
