 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Clunkers Program Is Expensive Way To Cut Carbon Emissions
Davis CA (SPX) Aug 19, 2009 New UC Davis estimates say the federal government's Cash for Clunkers program is paying at least 10 times the "sticker price" to reduce emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. While carbon credits are projected to sell in the U.S. for about $28 per ton (today's price in Europe was $20), even the best-case calculation of the cost of the clunkers rebate is $237 per ton, said UC Davis transportation economist Christopher Knittel. "When burned, a gallon of gasoline creates roughly 20 pounds of carbon dioxide. I combined that known value with an average rebate of $4,200 and a range of assumptions about the fuel economy of the new vehicles purchased and how long the clunkers would have been on the road if not for the program," Knittel said. "I even assumed drivers didn't change their habits, although some analysts have suggested that the owners of new vehicles will drive more than they would have with their old cars. "In the end, the lowest cost to remove one ton of carbon from the environment was $237. More likely scenarios produced a cost of more than $500 per ton, even when we accounted for reductions in pollutants other than greenhouse gases. That suggests the Cash for Clunkers program is an expensive way to reduce carbon." Knittel did not analyze the program's other key objectives: stimulating the economy and providing relief for automobile manufacturers. Knittel is an associate professor and chancellor's fellow in the UC Davis Department of Economics, a faculty associate at the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies, and the policy and business strategy leader of the Sustainable Transportation Energy Pathways Program at UC Davis. His analysis, titled "The Implied Cost of Carbon Dioxide Under the Cash for Clunkers Program," was published online by the University of California Energy Institute. It was funded by the Energy Institute and the Institute of Transportation Studies. Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links UC Davis Car Technology at SpaceMart.com
China, Germany help VW escape slump: firmBerlin (AFP) Aug 17, 2009 German auto giant Volkswagen said on Monday that strong sales in China and in its home market in July helped it escape a "continuing difficult situation" in the global car market. VW, which also owns brands including Audi, Skoda and SEAT and which aims to merge with Porsche, said that deliveries to customers in July were up 6.7 percent year-on-year compared to a 16-percent slump in the ... read more |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2009 - SpaceDaily. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
YahooMyWeb
Google
Facebook