Digital Commons Network^™

Carbon Pricing In The Private Sector: How Science, Politics, And Climate Change Influence Business Strategy, Hayden Hubbard, Mcklayne Marshall, Christopher Cottle

Research on Capitol Hill

The social cost of carbon (SCC) is defined as the monetized social (externality) cost of a metric ton of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere in a given year. Economist Michael Greenstone called it “The most important figure you’ve never heard of.”

Since 2009, the SCC has been a major factor in $1.2 trillion of legislation. No carbon tax exists in the U.S., but many private and public companies have started using internal carbon pricing in decision making.

The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) has capitalized on this trend by creating a central depository for emissions reporting and sustainability. This was the …

Compressed Natural Gas Vehicles: Financially Viable Option?, Ali Soltani-Sobh, Kevin Heaslip, Ryan Bosworth, Ryan Barnes

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

Natural gas vehicles are being developed because of increasing concerns about energy dependence, air quality and emissions, and, more recently, climate change. The major advantage of natural gas vehicles is their lower fuel cost. Several economic and technical factors such as limited range and availability of relevant infrastructure prevent widespread adoption of natural gas vehicles. A model for the financial analysis of the possibility of compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles being competitive with gasoline-powered vehicles is offered. The model evaluates the extent to which commuters find adoption of CNG vehicles to be economically viable in the United States. The results …