CEmailvision Issue 12, June 2011

Recently two interesting studies by CE Delft on the issue of climate change and transport pricing policy were presented at events in Brussels.
The first is a study on the impacts of pricing policy for freight transport on the road, rail and inland waterways in the Paris-Amsterdam corridor. The study has been carried out in the context of the development of the Seine-Scheldt connection, one of the large EU TEN-T infrastructure projects. This study is unique as it is the first in-depth analysis of the impacts of internalisation of external cost scenarios on a specific strategic and congested international freight corridor in the EU. It has been conducted at an international and multimodal level. The results are therefore of great interest for the study area, but also for European freight transport policy in general. The final deliverables of this study are available on the CE Delft website, in both English and Dutch.
The other study to be presented was commissioned by the Community of European Railways (CER) and concerns the potential for modal shift from road and air transport to rail. This study is potentially even more interesting, since the European Commission’s new White Paper on Transport cites modal shift as one of the key policies for the coming decades. In this study the potential for growth of rail transport in Europe has been investigated in three different ways as well as the potential reduction of CO2 emissions that this could deliver. This study is also available on our website.
More information: Huib van Essen 0031(0)15-2150 150.

Under current European rules, electrically powered vehicles count as a zero-carbon technology. However, not all electricity is carbon-neutral, as a comparison of coal and wind immediately shows. At the request of ICCT, CE Delft has therefore organised a workshop in Brussels on the eind of June on the issue of whether and how the CO2 emissions of power generation in the EU should be factored in to the CO2 allocation of electric vehicles. The current “zero emissions” position has a number of benefits for manufacturers as well as for market introduction of electric vehicles. There are also drawbacks, though, which may have unwanted effects as the market share of such vehicles increases (higher CO2 emissions than envisaged, higher costs of CO2 reduction). ICCT recently completed a study on electric vehicles aimed at American government agencies and interested parties. For the European Commission (DG CLIMA) CE Delft has carried out such a study for the EU context, entitled ‘Impact of Electric Vehicles’. Both studies contain a wealth of information on technical issues, market expectations, ecological and economic impacts, policy implications and recommendations.
More information: Bettina Kampman 0031(0)15-2150 150.

The European Commission is preparing a revision of the guidelines setting the framework for the Trans-European Networks of Transport (TEN-T) policy. Since EU funding for transport investment is one of the Union’s most powerful tools for securing its policy objectives, this is a good opportunity to strengthen several EU political priorities by factoring them into decisions on infrastructure investments. To achieve this interlinkage of policy objectives the European Foundation for Transport & Environment (T&E), together with partners, is keen to see a methodology for carbon-proofing developed, which should contain as one element an indicator of the climate performance of the TEN-T projects.
CE Delft has been contracted by T&E to develop a methodology for this purpose.

The aim of the project is to develop a methodology to bring EU budget spending into line with the EU objective of decarbonising the transport sector. The methodology should allow the European Commission to introduce a system of differentiated co-funding rates. Although the study focuses primarily on TEN-T, recommendations will be made for applying the methodology to other EU funds of potential influence on decarbonisation of the European transport sector, either directly or indirectly. In addition, the study will provide an overview of the organisational and legal consequences of these recommendations for the European Commission and Member States. More information: Ewout Dönszelmann 0031(0)15-2150 150.

At the request of the UK Committee on Climate Change, CE Delft has developed a model to project shipping emissions to and from the UK up to 2050. The projections are based on historical ship movement data and emissions, and take into account changes in demand, ship size, fuel efficiency and fuel price. All the parameters can be easily varied using a user-friendly control panel. The model allows the CCC to assess the impacts of various policy options such as implementation of an energy-efficiency standard for ships (the energy efficiency design index, EEDI) and European or global market-based instruments. The CCC will use the model to inform its advice to the UK government on inclusion of maritime emissions in its emissions target. The model was developed in collaboration with DLR and Manchester Metropolitan University.
More information: Jasper Faber 0031(0)15-2150 150.

In cooperation with Charles University Prague, CE Delft is performing a study for Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe on the impacts on the Slovak economy of a potential shift of the EU climate target from a 20% to a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Slovakia is a small but rapidly developing economy with a growing industrial sector. Although a revision of the European climate target may impact significantly on certain industries, there is also evidence of high overallocation of ETS allowances in the past, which may alleviate this impact because of the scope for using banked emission allowances. In this study the method of partial equilibrium analysis is used. The primary aim is to assess the additional costs to industry of meeting the more stringent target of -30% on a sector-by-sector basis. Using these data a broader macro-economic analysis will be performed to assess the likely impacts not only on GDP and employment levels, but also on budgetary revenues and benefits accruing from abatement of associated pollutant emissions. The results will be available at the end of July.
More information: Agnieszka Markowska 0031(0)15-2150.

CE Delft is reviewing a social cost-benefit analysis (SCBA) previously carried out on the planned construction of a new regional airport in a European country. The aim of a SCBA is to identify the costs and benefits of investments in infrastructure or other projects and draw conclusions about the net social benefits. In this review the main focus of CE Delft was on the economic scenarios used, estimated passenger numbers and envisaged improvements in journey times. The results of the SCBA are also compared with those of an alternative scenario: revamping the existing airport, providing a more robust foundation for the choice for a new airport.
More information: Jasper Faber 0031(0)15-2150 150.

CE Delft is advising the Rotterdam Port Authority on drawing up sustainable Key Performance Indicators for hinterland transport from the port. The first phase of the project comprises an analysis of the variables influencing the sustainability of hinterland transport (emissions control technologies, logistics). A survey will also be conducted of other initiatives with which linkage is possible. In the next phase, five indicators will be defined with which sustainability can be monitored.
More information: Eelco den Boer 0031(0)15-2150 150.

Last year European members states submitted their action plans for promoting renewable energy to the European Commission. From these plans it emerges that there is still plenty of work to be done before the share of renewables is boosted and tangible improvements in energy efficiency achieved. As of December 2010, all EU member states were under obligation to ensure that their national legislation is in line with the targets and requirements of the European Renewable Energy Directive. At the request of the European Commission, CE Delft is currently evaluating whether this is indeed the case in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg and Ireland. The work is being carried out in an international consortium. The results of the study will provide a review of the extent to which these member states are seriously engaging with measures to increase the share of renewables. More information: Dorien Bennink 0031(0)15-2150 150.

With at least 53 relevant financial and other policies in place, the Dutch government exerts a major influence on the energy market in the Netherlands. These policies were established in the past for a variety of reasons. At the moment low greenhouse gas emissions and security of supply are two key issues of public importance in the nation’s energy supply, but by no means all the 53 policies have a positive impact in this respect.
 
At the request of Eneco and Triodos Bank, CE Delft and Ecofys are identifying how government interventions have influenced the playing field for energy production and consumption in the Netherlands. As a result of these interventions, the direct as well as social costs of energy are still not being fully passed on to end users.

The report was presented to members of parliament René Leegte (VVD) and Liesbeth van Tongeren (GroenLinks) on June 22nd. More information: Martijn Blom 0031(0)15-2150 150.