A Comparative Study on the RFS Program of Korea with the US and UK

In 2016, the global environmental impact of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions was 49.3 gigatons CO2 equivalent. Worldwide, the transportation sector is responsible for 14% of GHG. Electric vehicles (EV) powered by less-polluting energy sources are one way to reduce the environmental impact of the transportation sector, but immediate transportation demands cannot be met by existing EV technology. Use of less polluting biofuel in place of petroleum-based gasoline or diesel fuel to power the existing transportation fleet is a widely accepted transitional solution, including in the Republic of Korea. The purpose of this research is to investigate approaches to biofuels in the US and the UK in order to evaluate Korea’s current energy policies related to use of biofuels and to make recommendations for strengthening Korea’s energy policy. This article addresses only policies for use of biodiesel rather than ethanol (widely used in the US) because ethanol is not used in Korea. This research shows that Korea calculates GHG using the principle that biofuel is carbon neutral, but energy policies in the US and the UK treat biofuel as not entirely carbon neutral. Korea should examine how to calculate GHG from biodiesel according to the standard set by the UK in order to work toward a more environmentally sustainable energy policy.

Can we meet targets for biofuels and renewable energy in transport given the constraints imposed by policy in agriculture and energy?

The impact of anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on climate change receives much focus today. This impact is however often considered only in terms of global warming potential (GWP), which does not take into account the need for staying below climatic target levels, in order to avoid passing critical climate tipping points. Some suggestions to include a target level in climate change impact assessment have been made, but with the consequence of disregarding impacts beyond that target level. The aim of this paper is to introduce the climate tipping impact category, which represents the climate tipping potential (CTP) of GHG emissions relative to a climatic target level. The climate tipping impact category should be seen as complementary to the global warming impact category. The CTP of a GHG emission is expressed as the emission’s impact divided by the ‘capacity’ of the atmosphere for absorbing the impact without exceeding the target level. The GHG emission impact is determined as its cumulative contribution to increase the total atmospheric GHG concentration (expressed in CO2 equivalents) from the emission time to the point in time where the target level is expected to be reached, the target time. The CTP of all the assessed GHGs increases as the emission time approaches the target time, reflecting the rapid decrease in remaining atmospheric capacity and thus the increasing potential impact of the GHG emission. The CTP of a GHG depends on the properties of the GHG as well as on the chosen climatic target level and background scenario for atmospheric GHG concentration development. In order to enable direct application in life cycle assessment (LCA), CTP characterisation factors are presented for the three main anthropogenic GHGs, CO2, CH4 and N2O. The CTP metric distinguishes different GHG emission impacts in terms of their contribution to exceeding a short-term target and highlights their increasing importance when approaching a climatic target level, reflecting the increasing urgency of avoiding further GHG emissions in order to stay below the target level. Inclusion of the climate tipping impact category for assessing climate change impacts in LCA, complimentary to the global warming impact category which shall still represent the long-term climate change impacts, is considered to improve the value of LCA as a tool for decision support for climate change mitigation.

The transport sector’s decarbonization remains a critical challenge in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and achieving the EU Green Deal 2030 targets (−43.7% with respect to 2005). This article develops forecasts for 2030 to assess the potential reduction in tank-to-wheel (TtW) and well-to-wheel (WtW) GHG emissions within the Italian road transportation sector. Two tendential scenarios, namely, “High Decarbo” and “Moderate Decarbo,” are constructed based on differing hypotheses and on adoption rates of measures and policies aimed at promoting sustainable transportation (e.g., subsidies for electric vehicles) that are already in effect. The “Moderate Decarbo” forecasts project a 12% TtW and a 15% WtW GHG emissions reduction compared to 2005 levels. Under favorable assumptions, GHG emissions could potentially be reduced by 28% TtW and 33% WtW, nearing EU targets but still falling below them. The impact of electrification has been broken down, and the hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) contribution on GHG reduction is expected to be very close to that of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), underlining the advantages that an increased spread of HEVs might have, in addition to the BEVs. The introduction of the law-required quantities of second-generation biofuels is the main driver for the higher WtW reductions. Two more “trend-breaking” 2030 scenarios are developed in which biofuels are spread, maximizing the Italian production capabilities to abate the environmental impact of the freight sector. In the High Decarbo scenario, the WtW GHG emissions reduction is up to 40%, demonstrating the impact that a smart use of biofuels might have.

The impact of the rebound effect of the use of first generation biofuels in the EU on greenhouse gas emissions: A critical review

Well-to-wheel greenhouse gas emissions of electric versus combustion vehicles from 2018 to 2030 in the US

Major US electric utility climate pledges have the potential to collectively reduce power sector emissions by one-third

Energy-related activities are a major contributor of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A growing body of knowledge clearly depicts the links between human activities and climate change. Over the last century the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil and other human activities has released carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and other heat-trapping GHG emissions into the atmosphere and thus increased the concentration of atmospheric CO2 emissions. The main human activities that emit CO2 emissions are (1) the combustion of fossil fuels to generate electricity, accounting for about 37% of total U.S. CO2 emissions and 31% of total U.S. GHG emissions in 2013, (2) the combustion of fossil fuels such as gasoline and diesel to transport people and goods, accounting for about 31% of total U.S. CO2 emissions and 26% of total U.S. GHG emissions in 2013, and (3) industrial processes such as the production and consumption of minerals and chemicals, accounting for about 15% of total U.S. CO2 emissions and 12% of total ...

Economic and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Assessment of Excess Biomass Extracted from Future Kraft Pulp Mills

Biofuel use is intended to address the ever-increasing demand for and scarcer supply of fossil fuels. The recent Indonesia government policy of imposing 10% mixing of biodiesel into petroleum-based diesel affirms the more important biofuel role in the near future. Palm oil, methane from palm oil mill effluent (POME) and animal wastes are the most prospective agricultural-based biofuels. The production and use of palm oil is interlinked with land use and land use change (LULUC), while the use of methane from POME and animal wastes can contribute in reducing emissions. The current European Union (EU) and the potential United States (US) markets are imposing biodiesels’ green house gas (GHG) emission reduction standards (ERS) of 35% and 20%, respectively relative to the emissions of petroleum-based diesel based on using the lifecycle analysis (LCA). EU market will increase the ERS to 50% starting 1 January 2017, which make it more challenging to reach. Despite controversies in the methods and assumptions of GHG emission reduction assessment using LCA, the probability of passing ERS increases as the development of oil palm plantation avoid as much as possible the use of peatland and natural forests. At present, there is no national ERS for bioenergy, but Indonesia should be cautious with the rapid expansion of oil palm plantation on existing agricultural lands, as it threatens food security. Focusing more on increasing palm oil yield, reducing pressure on existing agricultural lands for oil palm expansion and prioritizing the development on low carbon stock lands such as grass- and shrublands on mineral soils will be the way forward in addressing land scarcity, food security, GHG emissions and other environmental problems. Other forms of bioenergy source, such as biochar, promise to a lesser extent GHG emission reduction, and its versatility also requires consideration of its use as a soil ameliorant.

Driving a sustainable road transportation transformation

Human behavior research and the design of sustainable transport systems

Biofuels have been increasing in popularity, since they are promising substitutes for fossil fuels and are expected to contribute to reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Moreover, the production of biofuels is a means of alleviating poverty and developing both rural and agricultural areas. However, many researchers and institutions, such as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OCED) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), voice scientific scepticism about the expected contributions of biofuel use. They also stress that the production and use of biofuels will lead to deforestation, water supply contamination and water depletion. The production and use of biofuels will have enormous impacts on the environment, the economy and the society. Clearly, these impacts are multitiered and complex. Therefore, strategies for biofuel use must be established through comprehensive analyses and scientific evaluations, with consideration given to complex socioeconomic issues, in order to achieve global sustainability. It is also important to consider that optimum solutions among boundary levels, such as global, regional and national levels, may vary and that these strategies must be coordinated in order to meet the demands of different optimum solutions. From this perspective, an interdisciplinary and integrated approach is best. However, many studies on biofuel, including those in the natural and social science fields, fail to use this type of approach. The aim of the present research is to comprehensively analyse the use of biofuels at global, regional and national levels using the sustainability science approach and attempt to assess biofuel use strategies from an interdisciplinary perspective. Sustainability science is a new academic area that addresses complicated issues, such as biofuel production and use, by restructuring problems and then proposing policy options.

The article presents a comprehensive analysis of the environmental aspects of the production and use of biofuels in transport. It is stated that the environmental impact occurs at all stages of production and processing of bioenergy raw materials. It is substantial during land use change and production intensification, and minimal greenhouse gas emissions are observed when lignocellulosic fuels are used. Life cycle analysis shows that battery electric vehicles have a better greenhouse gas saving than most biofuels. At the same time, a large-scale implementation of renewable energy sources is needed to reduce harmful emissions from electricity generation. It is established that the use of carbon-neutral synthetic biofuels is a promising way to achieve the complete decarbonisation of the transport sector.

Greenhouse gas emissions of conventional and alternative vehicles: Predictions based on energy policy analysis in South Korea