To guide efficient resource use, this talk explores certain tradeoffs in the use of biomass for GHG mitigation in a U.S./North American context. In particular, this research addresses key questions, such as:
- Are greater GHG reductions achieved when using bio-ethanol as a transportation fuel, or as a chemical feedstock?
- Within the plastics sector, are greater GHG emission reductions achieved by switching to bio-based plastics, or more simply by producing conventional plastics with renewable energy?
This talk will also discuss recent work showing how economic/market response can substantially undermine or reverse the GHG benefits from biofuel policies.
The results of these studies shed light on the uncertainty present in the life-cycle GHG emissions from bio-based products, and make concrete recommendations to set priorities in the use of biomass for GHG mitigation.
Speaker
![Head shot of I. Daniel Posen](http://uttri.utoronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2018/02/Daniel-Posen-214x300-150x150.jpg)
UTTRI associated faculty Professor I. Daniel Posen is an Assistant Professor in Civil & Mineral Engineering at the University of Toronto. He holds a dual PhD in Engineering & Public Policy and Civil & Environmental Engineering (Carnegie Mellon University, 2016), a Master of Science in Economics (London School of Economics, 2012), a Master of Research in Green Chemistry (Imperial College London, 2010) and a BA in Chemistry (Princeton University, 2009).
Dr. Posen’s research uses a mix of technical and economic modeling to supply quantitative, system-level analysis to support of environmental decision making. His expertise spans a range of areas including life cycle assessment and life cycle thinking; setting priorities for greenhouse gas mitigation; evaluating biofuels, bio-based materials & other uses for biomass; electric vehicles and transportation fuels; modeling of fossil fuel and energy markets; public policy & decision support models; and quantifying uncertainty and risk in environmental systems & environmental policy.
Presented by the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry.