A parametric analysis of future ethanol use in the light-duty transportation sector: Can the US meet its Renewable Fuel Standard goals without an enforcement mechanism?

The modified Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) prescribes a volume of biofuels to be used in the United States transportation sector each year through 2022. As the dominant component of the transportation sector, we consider the feasibility of the light-duty vehicle (LDV) parc to provide enough demand for biofuels to satisfy RFS2. Sensitivity studies show that the fuel price differential between gasoline and ethanol blendstocks, such as E85, is the principal factor in LDV biofuel consumption. The numbers of flex fuel vehicles and biofuel refueling stations will grow given a favorable price differential. However, unless the feedstock price differential becomes extreme (biomass prices below $100 per dry ton and oil prices above $215 per barrel), which deviates from historical price trends, LDV parc biofuel consumption will fall short of the RFS2 mandate without an enforcement mechanism. Additionally, such commodity prices might increase biofuel consumption in the short-term, but discourage use of biofuels in the long-term as other technologies that do not rely on any gasoline blendstock may be preferable. Finally, the RFS2 program goals of reducing fossil fuel consumption and transportation greenhouse gas emissions could be achieved through other pathways, such as notable improvements in conventional vehicle efficiency.     

Improved cookstoves in rural India: how improved are they?: A critique of the perceived benefits from the National Programme on Improved Chulhas (NPIC)

The National Programme on Improved Cookstoves (NPIC) was started by the Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources (MNES), Government of India, in 1985 to achieve the twin objectives of fuelwood conservation and smoke reduction in kitchens. NPIC has overseen the installation of 28 million improved cookstoves, saving nearly 20 million tons of firewood per year. These achievements, though seemingly impressive, are not realistic as they are based on certain assumptions, particularly regarding the life expectancy of stoves. This paper examines the various assumptions made in such calculations and tries to arrive at some realistic numbers regarding fuelwood savings, which can be used to evolve a policy for refining the NPIC further.     

日本地热学会2003年年会“关于地热能可持续开发利用专题讨论综述”（A Review of Discussions in the Organized Session on Sustainable Development of Geothermal Energy at 2003Annual Meeting of Geothermal Research Society of Japan，江原幸雄，

日本地热学会在2003年年会上举行了关于地热能可持续开发利用的专题讨论。会上，松川、大岳、大霧和栁津西山等地热电站根据现场经历提交论文。此外，还提交了地热理论观点和监测活动的论文两篇。论文宣读后，在六位报告人和与会者之间进行了详细而热烈的讨论。讨论会之后又提出一篇评价地热资源技术的论文。