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Analytic Research Foundations for the Next-Generation Electric Grid

Tuesday, April 26th, 2016

NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
Mathematical modeling and control of the electric grid has been an active area of research for decades. However, in 1996 a major outage that affected 11 Western states and 2 Canadian provinces—coupled with emerging concerns that computers would malfunction after December 31, 1999—increased awareness of a lack of complete understanding of the overall system and its frailties. For several decades the Electric Power Research Institute funded a program of research to develop tools for recognizing early signs of instability and means to counter them. That research was largely of a mathematical nature.

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Tags: Electricity, NAP, National Academies Press, National Academy of Sciences, Next-Generation Electric Grid, Smart Grid
Posted in Energy, Infra Views, Policy, Smart Grid, Sustainability, Technology

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The State of the Air 2016

Monday, April 25th, 2016

Figure 1: Air pollution emissions have dropped steadily since 1970 thanks to the Clean Air Act

AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION
The “State of the Air 2016” found continued improvement in air quality in 2012–2014, showing lower levels of year-round particle pollution and ozone. Still, more than half of all Americans—166 million people—live in counties where they are exposed to unhealthful levels of these pollutants.

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Tags: American Lung Association, Clean Air Act, EPA, Public Health
Posted in Carbon Tax, Clean Air, Climate Change, Energy, Environment, Infra Views, National, Pollution, Sustainability

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Oil Market Futures

Friday, April 22nd, 2016

Figure ES.1: Global oil demand from transport in 2015 and under two scenarios for 2050

CAMBRIDGE ECONOMETRICS
THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL FOR CLEAN TRANSPORTATION
Policies to tackle climate change are likely to lead to lower oil prices, according to the results of this analysis. As governments start implementing the Paris Agreement, they will increasingly need to cut carbon emissions from transport by curbing the combustion of petroleum fuels. Lower oil prices will prevail in this lower-demand scenario, compared to a business-as-usual scenario where oil demand would rise unchecked and in line with economic growth and expanding mobility trends.

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Tags: Cambridge Econometrics, CamEcon, Fossil Fuels, ICCT, International Council for Clean Transportation, Oil, Oil Market, Oil Prices, Petroleum
Posted in Carbon Tax, Climate Change, Environment, Global, Infra Views, Policy

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Lifting the High Energy Burden in America’s Largest Cities

Thursday, April 21st, 2016

While energy efficiency programs provide benefits beyond energy savings, we find they are an underutilized strategy that could complement bill assistance and weatherization programs to reduce high energy burdens in low-income communities.

AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR AN ENERGY-EFFICIENT ECONOMY (ACEEE)
This report provides a snapshot of energy burdens in cities across the US. We focus on the high home energy burdens faced by select groups in major metropolitan areas…In the first half of this report, we analyze data from the US Census Bureau’s 2011 and 2013 American Housing Survey to determine energy burden values for 48 of the largest US cities and specific households within each city. In the second half of the report, we discuss strategies for alleviating high energy burdens, with a focus on policies and programs to increase the impact of energy efficiency initiatives in these communities.

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Tags: ACEEE, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Ariel Drehobl, Energy Burden, Lauren Ross
Posted in Energy, Equity, Infra Views, National, Policy, Urban Planning

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Consumer Impacts of California’s Low-Carbon Transportation Policies

Tuesday, April 19th, 2016

CONSUMERS UNION
California is a global leader in developing and implementing clean transportation policies. The State’s regulatory approach is multifold, using various policy instruments to improve the efficiency of vehicles, reduce the carbon intensity of fuels, and increase options for mobility. These policies are a mix of market-based approaches, direct regulation approaches, and planning opportunities. These policies will have impacts on the pricing of consumer goods such as automobiles and fuels– both of which represent a significant share of consumer expenditures.

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Tags: CA, California, Carbon, Consumer Reports, Consumers Union, Emissions
Posted in Clean Air, Climate Change, Environment, Infra Views, Local, Policy, Pollution, Sustainability

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America’s Most Endangered Rivers 2016

Thursday, April 14th, 2016

AMERICAN RIVERS
The report is not a list of the nation’s “worst” or most polluted rivers, but rather it highlights rivers confronted by critical decisions that will determine their future…The report presents alternatives to proposals that would damage rivers, identifies those who make the crucial decisions, and points out opportunities for the public to take action on behalf of each listed river.

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Tags: America's Most Endangered Rivers, American Rivers, Rivers
Posted in Drinking Water, Infra Views, Inland Waterways, National, Policy, Pollution

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Issuance of New Money Bonds Remains Low in Large U.S. Cities

Thursday, April 14th, 2016

Figure 1 New Money Issuances Hit a 24-Year Low in 2014

THE PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS
Cities in the United States play a substantial role in funding critical infrastructure with investments in capital projects such as roads, bridges, schools, and libraries. For example, all local governments accounted for 35 percent of total highway and transit spending from 2008 through 2012. To pay for these projects, cities often sell bonds on the municipal market.

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Tags: Bonds, cities, Financ, Money Bonds, Pew Charitable Trusts, Pew Trusts
Posted in Funding, Infra Views, National, Private Investment, Smart Growth, Tax, Urban Planning

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Best Complete Streets Policies of 2015

Wednesday, April 13th, 2016

Figure 1: Number of Complete Streets policies nationwide, 2005–2015

SMART GROWTH AMERICA
In 2015, communities passed a total of 82 Complete Streets policies. These laws, resolutions, agency policies, and planning and design documents establish a process for selecting, funding, planning, designing, and building transportation projects that allow safe access for everyone, regardless of age, ability, income or ethnicity, and no matter how they travel.

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Tags: FAST Act, National Complete Streets Coalition, Smart Growth America
Posted in Biking, Infra Views, Policy, Public Transportation, Smart Growth, Sustainability, Transit, Urban Planning

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We Have the Power: 100% Renewable Energy for a Clean, Thriving America

Tuesday, April 12th, 2016

Figure ES-1: Comparison of Renewable Energy Technical Potential and Current Consumption (Data: NREL)

ENVIRONMENT AMERICA
Our transition to a clean energy system has already begun. But, with the need to reduce the pollution that causes global warming growing more urgent every day, we need to step up the pace. To maximize the benefits of moving to 100 percent renewable energy, leaders at all levels must act to accelerate our progress. America’s energy policy should facilitate mass deployment of clean energy solutions, support research and development of new clean energy technologies, and keep much of our coal, oil and gas reserves in the ground.

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Tags: 100% Renewables, Environment America, Renewable Energy, Solar Energy, Wind Energy
Posted in Clean Air, Climate Change, Energy, Environment, Infra Views, National, Policy, Sustainability, Technology

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Bike-Share Stations in the U.S.

Friday, April 8th, 2016

FIGURE 1. Bike-Share Connectivity to Scheduled Public Transportation

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
BUREAU OF TRANSPORTATION STATISTICS
Bike-share systems typically operate independently of local transit authorities. However, most bike-share docking stations (86.3 percent) can be found near local public transportation stops (transit bus, commuter rail, heavy rail, light rail, and transit ferry). These locations offer modal choice and the opportunity to connect between modes. Transit bus is the most typical connection, with 84.2 percent (2,236) of bike-share stations located a block or less from a transit bus stop.

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Tags: Bicycling, Bike Share, Bike Sharing, Bikeshare, BTS, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Cycling, DOT, RITA, U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. DOT
Posted in Biking, Equity, Infra Views, National, Policy, Public Transportation, Transit, Urban Planning

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Infra Views

Analytic Research Foundations for the Next-Generation Electric Grid

The State of the Air 2016

Oil Market Futures

Lifting the High Energy Burden in America’s Largest Cities

Consumer Impacts of California’s Low-Carbon Transportation Policies

America’s Most Endangered Rivers 2016

Issuance of New Money Bonds Remains Low in Large U.S. Cities

Best Complete Streets Policies of 2015

We Have the Power: 100% Renewable Energy for a Clean, Thriving America

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