Iowa NSF EPSCoR Energy Policy Seminar Series
| Date/Time: | Thursday, 04 Dec 2014 from 3:40 pm to 5:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Location: | 1306 Elings Hall |
| Cost: | Free |
| URL: | http://iowaepscor.org/energypolicyseminars |
| Contact: | |
| Phone: | 515-294-6998 |
| Channel: | Research |
| Categories: | Lectures Live Green |
| Actions: | Download iCal/vCal | Email Reminder |
Abstract
Corn ethanol in the form of E10 is currently blended into over 90% of the nation's gasoline and becomes an important component of the US transportation fuel supply. Cellulosic ethanol produced from non-food based feedstock is overcoming technological and economic barriers and should eventually be capable of supplying a significant proportion of the market. However, the 10% "blending wall" restricts the growth of traditional and advanced biofuel industries beyond the current level. Overcoming this obstacle depends critically on the deployment of a higher percentage ethanol-gasoline blend such as E85, which can only be used in flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs). The widespread consumer adoption of FFVs is therefore critical and is expected to have significant impact on the US biofuel market.
This study attempts to (i) characterizes the spatial and temporal patterns of FFV adoption and development of E85 retail stations across the US regional markets, (ii) investigate driving forces of FFV adoption, including policy incentives, fuel prices and E85 retail fueling stations, emphasizing how FFV penetration and E85 retail infrastructure are related, and (iii) develop a partial equilibrium model of the US biofuel market in order to quantify the market impact of future development of the E85 and FFV markets. We explicitly model ethanol supply, demand, stock, and export with a focus on distinctive demands for E10 and E85, the latter of which is driven by a large scale adoption of FFVs.
Bio
Sheldon Du's primary areas of research are energy and agricultural economics. He is interested in the economics related to traditional and renewable energy, energy policy and implications for agricultural markets. His interests also encompass agricultural adaptation to climate change as well as commodity markets.