Query Result Set
Skip Navigation Links
   ActiveUsers:371Hits:19963326Skip Navigation Links
Show My Basket
Contact Us
IDSA Web Site
Ask Us
Today's News
HelpExpand Help
Advanced search

  Hide Options
Sort Order Items / Page
MACLEAN, HEATHER L (3) answer(s).
 
SrlItem
1
ID:   125492


Should Alberta upgrade oil sands bitumen? an integrated life cy / Choquette-Levy, Nicolas; MacLean, Heather L; Bergerson, Joule A   Journal Article
MacLean, Heather L Journal Article
0 Rating(s) & 0 Review(s)
Publication 2013.
Summary/Abstract The inclusion of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions costs in energy systems investment decision-making requires the development of a framework that accounts for GHG and economic tradeoffs. This paper develops such a framework by integrating partial cost-benefit analysis with life cycle assessment to explore the question of whether bitumen should be upgraded in the Canadian province of Alberta to produce synthetic crude oil (SCO), or blended with light hydrocarbons to produce lower-quality diluted bitumen (dilbit). The net present value (NPV) of these options is calculated from the stakeholder perspectives of the oil sands industry, the Alberta public, and a climate-concerned Alberta resident. This calculation includes monetized GHG emissions costs stemming from a hypothetical economy-wide GHG price, and a sensitivity analysis explores the effects of variations in technical and economic conditions on stakeholders' preferences. We find that under most plausible sets of conditions, industry would prefer the dilution option, while the climate-concerned Alberta resident would prefer the upgrading option. In contrast, the preferences of the general Alberta public depend on the values of key variables (e.g., the SCO-dilbit price differential). Key drivers of differences among stakeholders' preferences include different perceptions of risks and responsibilities for life cycle GHG emissions.
        Export Export
2
ID:   110740


Trade-linked Canada–United States household environmental impact analysis of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions / Ferguson, Thomas M; MacLean, Heather L   Journal Article
Ferguson, Thomas M Journal Article
0 Rating(s) & 0 Review(s)
Publication 2011.
Summary/Abstract We compare energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with total household expenditures and activities in Canada and US in 1997, the first detailed estimate of environmental burdens for Canadian households. We estimate direct burdens from published government data and indirect burdens using an industry-by-commodity, bi-national economic input-output life cycle assessment model developed in this study. Comparing 30 expenditure and two activity categories, per capita US household expenditures were 70% higher, while per capita household energy use and GHG emissions were only 10% and 44% higher, respectively. Energy use/dollar of expenditure was higher in most Canadian categories, while the average ratio of GHG emissions/energy use was higher in the US (65 vs 50 kg Eq. CO2/GJ) due largely to a higher proportion of electricity from nonrenewable sources. Indirect environmental burdens represented 63-69% of total burdens and 62-70% of total burdens were associated with household operation and transportation. Key drivers of differences between energy profiles were: higher per capita electricity use by Canadian households, and higher US household private health care expenditures and motor fuel use. Energy-intensive production for export represented a higher proportion of Canadian production, resulting in less agreement between consumption and production-based analyses for Canada than US.
        Export Export
3
ID:   179666


Trade-offs between vehicle fuel economy and performance: evidence from heterogeneous firms in China / Wu, Jingwen; Posen, Daniel I; MacLean, Heather L   Journal Article
MacLean, Heather L Journal Article
0 Rating(s) & 0 Review(s)
Summary/Abstract Technological progress is an effective way to improve fuel economy in vehicles. Using a rich model-level dataset of all new passenger cars in China from 2010 to 2019, this paper estimates progress in fuel economy after controlling for increases in vehicle performance. Considering the unique structure of the automobile industry in China, we explore differences between indigenous vehicles (IV), joint venture vehicles (JV), and foreign vehicles (FV). The results show that a 10% increase in curb weight is correlated with a 6.4% increase in fuel consumption. When holding other vehicle characteristics constant, technological progress can reduce fuel consumption by 3.5% annually. Technological progress is larger for JV (3.9%) than FV (3.3%) and IV (3.1%). In particular, IV produced by firms that are also engaged in JV showed slower technological progress (2.6%) than other IV counterparts (3.9%). A majority of JV would be able to meet future fuel consumption standards on individual vehicles at the average historical rate of technological progress. In contrast, IV will face a greater challenge, especially for IV produced by firms with JV. Although weight reduction can reduce fuel consumption, it plays a limited role in regulatory compliance due to the weight-based regulations.
        Export Export