Driving towards cleaner transportation: low-carbon fuel standards

Driving towards cleaner transportation: low-carbon fuel standards

Climate and Energy

Canada is moving full-steam ahead on carbon pricing. But what other policies might best complement carbon pricing? We’re in the midst of exploring this question, but our most recent report on biofuel policies found that flexible performance standards, including low carbon fuel standards (LCFS) might be a better complement than existing biofuel policies. First things […]

(Dis)Incentives by Design: Carbon pricing and biofuels in Canada

(Dis)Incentives by Design: Carbon pricing and biofuels in Canada

Climate and Energy

A core plank of carbon pricing is that it provides an incentive to use lower-carbon alternatives. In the case of transportation fuels, carbon pricing should make fossil fuels relatively more expensive compared to things like biofuels or other emerging low-carbon technologies, and make petroleum fuels less attractive. But do the four carbon pricing systems in […]

TLDR: The skinny on Ecofiscal’s latest report about biofuel policies

TLDR: The skinny on Ecofiscal’s latest report about biofuel policies

Climate and Energy

The Ecofiscal Commission’s latest report, Course Correction, looks at the economic and environmental case for biofuel policies in Canada. If you don’t have time to read the report, here’s what you need to know. Canadian governments have supported the production and use of biofuels for over two decades (see here for a quick intro to […]

biofuel policy

A legal bout in the U.S. shines light on some of the big challenges with biofuels in Canada

Climate and Energy

Biofuel policy south of the border is heating up. On January 8th seven agricultural and biofuel groups initiated a court challenge against a recent ruling by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which lowers the mandated minimum renewable fuel content in gasoline and diesel. The court challenge is interesting in its own right, but the rationale […]

biofuel subsidies

Should we take a closer look at biofuels subsidies?

Climate and Energy

The fall harvest is upon us. Crisp air, pumpkin spice lattes, and flannel shirts are in full swing. But as the final crops are harvested before the winter frost, it’s an ideal time to reflect on an industry that consumes a significant portion of Canada’s corn, wheat, and soybeans—conventional biofuels. Conventional biofuel production—which includes ethanol […]

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