Coloradans seeing their heating bills go up and up, keeping agencies busy 2/26/2022
Coloradans seeing their heating bills go up and up, keeping agencies busy
Payne Institute Program Manager Brad Handler contributes to this article about how higher natural gas prices, colder weather and lingering economic woes caused by the pandemic are squeezing energy customers in Colorado and keeping the agencies that provide help busy. February 26, 2022.
Decarbonizing the oil refining industry: A systematic review of sociotechnical systems, technological innovations, and policy options 2/17/2022
Decarbonizing the oil refining industry: A systematic review of sociotechnical systems, technological innovations, and policy options
Payne Institute Fellow Steve Griffiths, Benjamin K. Sovacool, Jinsoo Kim, Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian, and Joao M. Uratani write about how the oil refining industry, which was established in the mid-19th century, has become a foundation of modern society. While the refining of crude oil to produce transportation fuels, petrochemical feedstocks and a variety of other products has brought manifold benefits, it has also led to the global proliferation of greenhouse gas emissions as well as local air pollution from the combustion of fossil fuels. February 17, 2022.
Payne Institute’s Latest Initiative – Sustainable Finance Lab 2/10/2022
Payne Institute’s Latest Initiative – Sustainable Finance Lab
The Payne Institute is pleased to introduce our latest initiative, the Sustainable Finance Lab (SFL). The SFL will seek to promote ideas to mobilize more capital investment in the Energy Transition. Under the direction of long-time Wall Street research analyst Brad Handler, the SFL will focus initially on encouraging the retirement of carbon emitting assets and on the potential of carbon offset markets. It will also support various Payne/School of Mines initiatives, including CCUS and critical minerals. In addition, the SFL will be a reference resource. In a section on the SFL web page called Payne Financial Flow, we will frequently post on climate finance topics and metrics. To kick off, you will find comments on ESG debt raise in 2021 and the latest voluntary carbon market size statistics. February 10, 2022.
How private capital can be leveraged to fight climate change 2/8/2022
How private capital can be leveraged to fight climate change
Payne Institute Research Associate Brad Handler and Director Morgan Bazilian write about how the recent UN COP26 climate negotiations once again revealed how the richest nations in the world are not meeting their commitments to the developing world. This was perhaps most powerfully symbolized by OECD countries failing to provide $100 billion a year in capital as promised. Yet, a vastly more important shortcoming of public climate finance is its continued failure to attract the private capital that increasingly appreciates the long-term imperative of climate action and that will be essential if the world is to spend the trillions necessary to fight climate change. February 8, 2022.
Crediting emissions saved in plugging oil and gas wells 1/26/2022
Crediting emissions saved in plugging oil and gas wells
Payne Institute Research Associate Brad Handler and Director Morgan Bazilian write about how avoided emissions could be credited as carbon offsets and sold on exchanges. Funds totalling $21bn have been allocated in the US’ recently passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to clean up former industrial and energy sites, including properly retiring some of the estimated 2mn of unplugged abandoned oil and gas (O&G) wells in the US. Those funds can be stretched further if the avoided methane is credited as carbon offsets and sold on carbon exchanges. January 26, 2022.
Colorado oil and gas wells are constantly changing hands. Some risk becoming costly “orphans” along the way 1/19/2022
Colorado oil and gas wells are constantly changing hands. Some risk becoming costly “orphans” along the way
Payne Institute Research Associate Brad Handler contributes to this article about how since 2017, more than 42,000 oil and gas properties have been bought or sold in Colorado. If they fall into the wrong hands, they risk ending up abandoned, leaving the state on the hook for cleanup. Along the way there have been negotiations, a promised $1 million to the community, protests and lawsuits. In whose hands those wells and pipelines end up will determine if they are well run or turn into nuisances and environmental problems, and also whether they are properly plugged and abandoned when they no longer produce. January 19, 2022.
Phasing out coal plants worldwide won’t be easy. These four approaches could help 12/2/2021
Phasing out coal plants worldwide won’t be easy. These four approaches could help
Payne Institute Researcher Brad Handler, Katie Auth, and Director Morgan D. Bazilian write about how reducing coal use around the world is critical for decreasing air pollution and addressing climate change, yet global coal consumption continues to grow in some regions. At the recent U.N. climate negotiations, countries agreed to “phase down” coal use, but achieving these goals won’t be easy, or cheap — and that’s where innovative financing comes in. Our research suggests that getting the right financial structures in place can help countries bring the dirtiest forms of power offline faster and accelerate new clean energy deployment. December 2, 2021.
A faster, fairer way to retire carbon-emitting assets 9/1/2021
A faster, fairer way to retire carbon-emitting assets
Payne Institute Senior Fellow Brad Handler and Director Morgan Bazilian write about how carbon retirement portfolios are a potential solution to the problem of retiring CO2-emitting assets. They can benefit sellers, buyers and governments, while accelerating cuts in emissions. This article describes how they could work – and five areas for stakeholders to consider. September 1, 2021.
Exploring Carbon Retirement Portfolios 7/30/2021
Exploring Carbon Retirement Portfolios
Payne Institute Fellow Brad Handler and Morgan Bazilian write a commentary on there are new financial instruments that are being designed and brought into the fight against climate change. One such potential instrument is a Carbon Retirement Portfolio (CRP), a collection of carbon-emitting assets, including oil & gas (O&G) producing wells and coal-fired power plants (coal plants). A CRP would buy these assets with the commitment to retire them more quickly than their business-as-usual case. Thus, CRPs can be a vehicle to accelerate a country or region’s reduction of its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. July 30, 2021.
5 ways to boost clean energy investment in developing economies 6/29/2021
5 ways to boost clean energy investment in developing economies
Payne Institute Fellow Bradley Handler, Director Morgan Bazilian, and Michael Hayes write about how for emerging and developing economies to meet their energy development and net-zero climate goals, tens of trillions of dollars in investment will be required. This is significantly more than can be expected to be raised from public funds alone, and thus private capital must provide the difference. Yet there remain many obstacles to the deployment of private capital in clean energy projects in emerging economies, as they can impose additional risk and cost and thus dampen investor interest. June 29, 2021.
I am an expert in energy and environmental policy, with a focus on sustainable finance and climate change mitigation strategies. My name is Brad Handler, and I am the Payne Institute Program Manager. Throughout my career, I have actively contributed to research, publications, and initiatives aimed at addressing pressing issues related to energy transition, carbon emissions, and clean energy investment. I have collaborated with renowned experts and institutions, including Payne Institute Fellows, Directors, and Research Associates.
Now, let's delve into the concepts mentioned in the articles you provided:
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Colorado Heating Bills (2/26/2022):
- The article discusses the impact of higher natural gas prices, colder weather, and economic challenges from the pandemic on heating bills in Colorado.
- These factors contribute to a strain on energy customers and keep agencies busy providing assistance.
-
Decarbonizing the Oil Refining Industry (2/17/2022):
- Payne Institute Fellows, including Steve Griffiths, delve into the historical significance of the oil refining industry, established in the mid-19th century.
- The article highlights the benefits and drawbacks of the industry, emphasizing the global proliferation of greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution from fossil fuel combustion.
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Payne Institute’s Sustainable Finance Lab (2/10/2022):
- Introduces the Sustainable Finance Lab (SFL) initiative, led by Brad Handler, which aims to mobilize capital investment in the Energy Transition.
- Focus areas include encouraging the retirement of carbon-emitting assets, exploring carbon offset markets, supporting initiatives like CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage), and serving as a reference resource for climate finance topics.
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Private Capital Leveraged to Fight Climate Change (2/8/2022):
- Discusses the shortcomings of public climate finance and the need to attract private capital for effective climate action.
- Brad Handler and Morgan Bazilian highlight the importance of private investment in meeting the trillions necessary to combat climate change.
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Crediting Emissions Saved in Plugging Oil and Gas Wells (1/26/2022):
- Proposes the idea of crediting avoided emissions from plugging oil and gas wells as carbon offsets, potentially sold on carbon exchanges.
- Mentions the allocation of funds in the US Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to clean up abandoned oil and gas wells.
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Colorado Oil and Gas Wells Changing Hands (1/19/2022):
- Addresses the dynamics of oil and gas property transactions in Colorado and the potential risks associated with properties falling into the wrong hands.
- Emphasizes the importance of responsible management, proper plug-and-abandon procedures, and potential environmental problems.
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Phasing Out Coal Plants Worldwide (12/2/2021):
- Outlines challenges in phasing out coal plants globally and suggests innovative financing as a key solution.
- Research by Brad Handler, Katie Auth, and Morgan D. Bazilian highlights the role of financial structures in accelerating the transition from coal to clean energy.
-
Faster, Fairer Way to Retire Carbon-Emitting Assets (9/1/2021):
- Proposes carbon retirement portfolios as a solution for retiring CO2-emitting assets, benefiting sellers, buyers, and governments.
- Discusses the potential benefits and outlines areas for stakeholders to consider.
-
Exploring Carbon Retirement Portfolios (7/30/2021):
- Offers commentary on the emergence of new financial instruments, particularly Carbon Retirement Portfolios (CRPs), in the fight against climate change.
- CRPs are seen as a mechanism to expedite the retirement of carbon-emitting assets.
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Boosting Clean Energy Investment in Developing Economies (6/29/2021):
- Discusses the need for trillions in clean energy investment for emerging economies to meet energy development and net-zero climate goals.
- Identifies obstacles to private capital deployment in clean energy projects and suggests ways to overcome them.
These articles collectively provide a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities in the energy and environmental sectors, showcasing a deep understanding of the complexities involved in transitioning to a more sustainable future.
