Transportation and Climate Initiative MOU Comment Period Ends; OnLocation Modeling Supports This Process
On Friday February 28, the comment period for the regional Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) Draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) comes to a close. The TCI proposal would establish a regional program to cap greenhouse gas emissions from transportation fuels and invest in transportation projects to achieve additional environmental benefits. The program would cover more than 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions from twelve TCI states and the District of Columbia. After the MOU comments have been compiled and incorporated into the proposal, a final MOU will be released, likely in the spring, for final approval by TCI states.
OnLocation has been supporting the TCI with integrated modeling and analysis using the TCI-NEMS model. This analysis is being used to inform TCI states about the potential impact of key program design elements on the energy system, including resulting changes in emissions, energy supply and demand and fuel prices. In particular, scenario analysis was used to help inform TCI participants on the appropriate level for a regional cap on CO2 emissions. Sensitivity analysis has also been used to explore the impact of changes in future fuel prices and Federal government regulations such as fuel economy standards. OnLocation customized a version of the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) for use in the TCI project. These enhancements improve the model’s ability to represent the TCI region and to analyze potential regional caps covering emissions from on-road gasoline and diesel combustion.
OnLocation’s integrated energy modeling has helped the TCI participants consider the impacts and consequences of a range of policy options to better inform the TCI model rulemaking process.
For more information about the regional Transportation and Climate Initiative, including modeling results discussed in the December webinar, visit https://www.transportationandclimate.org/.