Researchers: Bitcoin's Carbon Footprint Equal to Las Vegas
In The New York Times, Christian Stoll discusses findings first published in a CEEPR Working Paper on the carbon footprint of virtual currency.
On the Efficiency of Competitive Energy Storage
FERC recently issued Order 841, which is intended to open wholesale energy markets to merchant storage providers. In this Working Paper, Prof. Richard Schmalensee explores the validity of the Order's presumption that existing markets will provide at least approx. optimal incentives for investment in both storage and generation: it does not contemplate the establishment of new markets or new policies.
Optimal Commodity Taxation with a Non-renewable Resource
When governments need to raise public revenues, they should tax non-renewable resources more than regular commodities according to a dynamic rule. For carbon resources, that means augmenting the carbon tax in a way that further reduces their development and slows down their exploitation, which goes further in the direction of resolving the climate problem.
Shared Capacity and Levelized Cost with Application to Power-to-Gas Technology
Power-to-Gas could become a central enabler of the transition towards a sustainable economy by reversibly converting electricity to hydrogen. A new paper shows that it will be competitive with fossil-based energy sources so as to solve the challenges of intermittent renewable generation and widespread industrial decarbonization.
Generational Trends in Vehicle Ownership and Use: Are Millennials Any Different?
Professor Christopher Knittel and CEEPR graduate Elizabeth Murphy delve into the data to determine if conventional thinking regarding Millennials pans out. Their findings indicate there is little difference in preferences for vehicle ownership versus prior generations when controlling for confounding variables.
Fuel-switching and Deep Decarbonization
Fuel-switching is inevitable to achieve deep decarbonization. This has, inter alia, prompted an increasing number of countries to announce coal phase-out mandates in the power sector. This working paper suggest that, when accounting for stranded assets, a decarbonization pathway that is based on gradual transition to renewable energy and initially retains coal generating assets turns out to be less expensive than a strict coal phase-out.
In The News
May 30, 2019
Millennials Like Cars As Much As Boomers Do
Christopher Knittel is P&Qs' Professor of the Week. Everybody knows that Millennials marry later and buy fewer homes than previous generations did. But when it comes to cars, that conventional...
May 1, 2019
State would benefit from preserving nuclear power
In an article on Press&Journal, John Parsons discusses a vital decision about the place nuclear power will have in Pennsylvania's future.
Apr 25, 2019
E7: TIL about carbon pricing
In this episode of TILclimate (Today I Learned: Climate), MIT economics professor Christopher Knittel joins host Laur Hesse Fisher to break down the complexities of carbon pricing.
Mar 29, 2019
Earth Hour 2019: Turning off lights won’t save the planet but these ‘green’ actions will
In an article on Global.ca, a panel of experts, including Prof. Knittel, highlight choices one can make to reduce your carbon footprint.
Mar 27, 2019
Despite ‘Car-Free’ Hype, Millennials Drive a Lot
In this article on CityLab, reporter Laura Bliss discusses findings from a new working paper by CEEPR Director Christopher Knittel and recently graduated CEEPR Research Assistant Elizabeth Murphy.
Mar 7, 2019
MIT CEEPR plays key role at first international carbon pricing research conference
CEEPR Deputy Director Michael Mehling serves as conference co-chair.
Mar 1, 2019
Competition for Electric Transmission Projects in the U.S.: FERC Order 1000
Professor Paul L. Joskow discusses the provisions of Order 1000, its application by ISOs, and examines the evidence to date regarding the development and application of the competitive transmission...