Inês L Azevedo
Biographic Data
| ID | 6562676 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Inês L Azevedo |
| GIVEN NAMES | Inês L |
| FAMILY NAME | Azevedo |
| SIGNATURE | AZEVEDO I L |
| AFFILIATIONS | Carnegie Mellon University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-4755-8656 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 38 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 0 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 38 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2011 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 0 |
Floating offshore wind on the U.S. West Coast: An expert elicitation
California has ambitious offshore wind goals of 2–5 GW by 2030 and 25 GW by 2045. The coastline deep ocean floor calls for floating offshore wind (FOSW), a new technology whose application has yet to be built to scale. Given the novelty, deep uncertainty, and lack of data regarding FOSW, we fielded an expert elicitation regarding the costs, probability and duration of failure, and likely potential system architectures. We find that there is signi…
Techno-economic assessment of floating offshore wind in California
California legislation has set ambitious goals of reaching 2–5 gigawatts of floating offshore wind (FOSW) by 2030, and 25 GW by 2045. FOSW remains an emerging technology with significant uncertainty surrounding its future development. We estimate the electricity output, levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and levelized cost of transmission (LCOT) for two locations in California where offshore wind projects are currently planned (Humboldt and Morro Ba…
Assessing the potential for solar development on coal mine land in India
India’s solar electricity generation capacity is concentrated in its western and southern states, while coal mining is concentrated in central and eastern India. Previous studies have found that increasing solar capacity in India’s coal belt may ameliorate the distributional consequences of electricity decarbonization, but we lack detailed assessments of the tradeoffs involved. Here, we evaluate the costs and emissions reduction benefits associat…
Distributional impacts of fleet-wide change in light duty transportation: Mortality risks of PM 2.5 emissions from electric vehicles and Tier 3 conventional vehicles
Light-duty transportation continues to be a significant source of air pollutants that cause premature mortality and greenhouse gases (GHGs) that lead to climate change. We assess PM 2.5 emissions and its health consequences under a large-scale shift to electric vehicles (EVs) or Tier-3 internal combustion vehicles (ICVs) across the United States, focusing on implications by states and for the fifty most populous metropolitan statistical areas (MS…
The health, climate, and equity benefits of freight truck electrification in the United States
Long-haul freight shipment in the United States relies on diesel trucks and constitutes ∼3% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and a significant share of local air pollution. Here, we compare the climate and air pollution-related health damages from electric versus diesel long-haul truck fleets. We use truck commodity flows to estimate tailpipe emissions from diesel trucks and regional grid emissions intensities to estimate charging emissions from …
Air pollution mortality from India’s coal power plants: Unit-level estimates for targeted policy
Air pollution from coal-fired electricity generation is an important cause of premature mortality in India. Although pollution-related mortality from the sector has been extensively studied, the relative contribution of individual coal-fired units to the fleet-wide mortality burden remains unclear. Here, we find that emissions from a small number of units drive overall mortality. Units producing just 3.5% of total generation and constituting less…
Air quality, health, and equity impacts of vehicle electrification in India
Ambient air pollution in India accounts for 870 000 deaths per year, including 43 000 from road transportation. Vehicle electrification could posit a sustainable solution. However, 3/4th of India’s electric grid is powered by coal, emitting large amounts of PM 2.5 , SO 2 , and NO x . This leads to uncertainty regarding the health benefits and distributional consequences from vehicle electrification. Our results show that if electric vehicles made…
How Covid-19 altered perceived household resource consumption in the United States: Results from a survey
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to unprecedented changes in the daily lives of people in the United States and across the world, particularly around how households consume critical resources. We fielded a survey to a national U.S. sample ( n = 1214) to quantify the nature and extent of perceived change in household consumption of energy, water, information and communication technology (ICT) services, transportation, and grocery and non-grocery shop…
Sustained cost declines in solar PV and battery storage needed to eliminate coal generation in India
Unabated coal power in India must be phased out by mid-century to achieve global climate targets under the Paris Agreement. Here we estimate the costs of hybrid power plants—lithium-ion battery storage with wind and solar PV—to replace coal generation. We design least cost mixes of these technologies to supply stylized baseload and load-following generation profiles in three Indian states—Karnataka, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu. Our analysis shows tha…
Inequality in air pollution mortality from power generation in India
India’s coal-heavy electricity system is the world’s third largest and a major emitter of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Consequently, it remains a focus of decarbonization and air pollution control policy. Considerable heterogeneity exists between states in India in terms of electricity demand, generation fuel mix, and emissions. However, no analysis has disentangled the expected, state-level spatial differences and interactions in …
Distributional health impacts of electricity imports in the United States
The electric grid is evolving rapidly in response to climate change. As renewables are incorporated, more interconnection of the grid is expected. Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from fossil-fuel generation causes adverse health impacts, including thousands of premature deaths each year in the United States. It is well understood that PM2.5 exposure can occur at great distances from pollutant sources, but insufficient work has been do…
Welfare analysis of the ecological impacts of electricity production in Chile using the sparse multinomial logit model
Global food system emissions could preclude achieving the 1.5° and 2°C climate change targets
Thought for food To have any hope of meeting the central goal of the Paris Agreement, which is to limit global warming to 2°C or less, our carbon emissions must be reduced considerably, including those coming from agriculture. Clark et al. show that even if fossil fuel emissions were eliminated immediately, emissions from the global food system alone would make it impossible to limit warming to 1.5°C and difficult even to realize the 2°C target. …
Regional and county flows of particulate matter damage in the US
Despite several decades of declining emissions, the health costs of particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) in the US remain substantial, with more than $1 trillion in annual damages. We analyze the inter-county impacts of PM 2.5 for 2008, 2011, and 2014 and find that even though emissions from point sources have fallen over this period, the share of PM 2.5 attributable to pollution transported across county and state boundaries is still considerable in man…
What are the best combinations of fuel-vehicle technologies to mitigate climate change and air pollution effects across the United States
The transportation sector is the largest contributor to CO 2 emissions and a major source of criteria air pollutants in the United States. The impact of climate change and that of air pollution differ in space and time, but spatially-explicit, systematic evaluations of the effectiveness of alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies in mitigating both climate change and air pollution are lacking. In this work, we estimate the life cycle m…
Characterizing the association between low-income electric subsidies and the intra-day timing of electricity consumption
Electricity rate subsidies are an important policy mechanism to help low-income households afford necessary energy services, bringing substantial quality of life benefits to roughly 30% of California households. Resulting increases in consumption may unintentionally increase costly peak demand while also raising emissions of greenhouse gases and criteria air pollution from electricity generation, potentially motivating additional measures to shif…
Solar PV as a mitigation strategy for the US education sector
Solar photovoltaic (PV) is an important strategy to de-carbonize the energy sector in the United States and to reduce the health, environmental, and climate change damages associated with the production of electricity from fossil fuel sources. While the potential for solar PV in the residential and commercial sectors has been widely studied, the potential in educational buildings is largely unknown. Educational institutions account for 11% of tot…
Quantifying the social equity state of an energy system: Environmental and labor market equity of the shale gas boom in Appalachia
A fundamental societal concern in energy system transitions is the distribution of benefits and costs across populations. A recent transition, the US shale gas boom, has dramatically altered the domestic energy outlook and global markets; however, the social equity implications have not been meaningfully assessed and accounted for in public and private decision making. In this study, we develop and demonstrate a systematic approach to quantify th…
Choice at the pump: Measuring preferences for lower-carbon combustion fuels
A decarbonized future will require a transition to lower carbon fuels for personal transportation. We study consumer preferences for combustion fuels including gasoline, diesel, natural gas, and E85 (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) using consumer choice survey data from two settings: online ( n = 331) and in-person at refueling stations ( n = 127). Light-duty vehicle owners were asked in a series of choice tasks to choose among fuels that varied in…
Net-zero emissions energy systems
Path to zero carbon emissions Models show that to avert dangerous levels of climate change, global carbon dioxide emissions must fall to zero later this century. Most of these emissions arise from energy use. Davis et al. review what it would take to achieve decarbonization of the energy system. Some parts of the energy system are particularly difficult to decarbonize, including aviation, long-distance transport, steel and cement production, and …
A sunny future: Expert elicitation of China's solar photovoltaic technologies
China has emerged as the global manufacturing center for solar photovoltaic (PV) products. Chinese firms have entered all stages of the supply chain, producing most of the installed solar modules around the world. Meanwhile, production costs are at record lows. The decisions that Chinese solar producers make today will influence the path for the solar industry and its role towards de-carbonization of global energy systems in the years to come. Ho…
The implications of scope and boundary choice on the establishment and success of metropolitan greenhouse gas reduction targets in the United States
In recent years, cities across the United States have devoted considerable attention and resources to developing greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories and climate action plans (CAPs). Using integrated metropolitan-level GHG estimates from publicly available national datasets, we explore the implications of inventory scope and boundary choices for 41 metropolitan areas across the United States. We quantify emissions from ‘under-reported’ activities (i.…
Decarbonizing intraregional freight systems with a focus on modal shift
Road freight transportation accounts for around 7% of total world energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. With the appropriate incentives, energy savings and emissions reductions can be achieved by shifting freight to rail or water modes, both of which are far more efficient than road. We briefly introduce five general strategies for decarbonizing freight transportation, and then focus on the literature and data relevant to estimating the global…
Assessing the evolution of power sector carbon intensity in the United States
In the United States, the electricity sector is a major focus for implementing policies to meet national, state, or local mandatory or voluntary CO _2 emissions reductions goals. Thus, it is important to have timely and available information on greenhouse gas emissions generated by the power sector to ensure that the policies implemented achieve intended emissions reductions. This work is the first to develop a transparent method to compute the e…
Expert assessments on the future of direct current in buildings
Increasing adoption of distributed generation, improving power electronics, and growing electronic loads in buildings have led researchers to propose increased use of direct current (DC) power distribution systems in buildings. As these systems have proven safe and reliable in other applications, they are now being considered for more widespread use in commercial and residential buildings. But nontechnical obstacles remain that have not been addr…
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Preparing US community greenhouse gas inventories for climate action plans
This study illustrates how alternative and supplemental community-level greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory techniques could improve climate action planning. Eighteen US community GHG inventories are reviewed for current practice. Inventory techniques could be improved by disaggregating the sectors reported, reporting inventory uncertainty and variability, and aligning inventories with local organizations that could facilitate emissions reductions. Th…
Estimating direct and indirect rebound effects for U.S. households with input–output analysis Part 1: Theoretical framework
Effects of government incentives on wind innovation in the United States
In the United States, as elsewhere, state and federal governments have considered or implemented a range of policies to create more sustainable energy generation systems in response to concerns over climate change, security of fuel supply, and environmental impacts. These policies include both regulatory instruments such as renewable portfolio standards (RPSs) and market incentives such as tax credits. While these policies are primarily geared to…
Comparing the magnitude of simulated residential rebound effects from electric end-use efficiency across the US
Many US states rely on energy efficiency goals as a strategy to reduce CO2e emissions and air pollution, to minimize investments in new power plants, and to create jobs. For those energy efficiency interventions that are cost-effective, i.e., saving money and reducing energy, consumers may increase their use of energy services, or re-spend cost savings on other carbon- and energy-intensive goods and services. In this paper, we simulate the magnit…
Labeling energy cost on light bulbs lowers implicit discount rates
Effect of regional grid mix, driving patterns and climate on the comparative carbon footprint of gasoline and plug-in electric vehicles in the United States
We compare life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from several light-duty passenger gasoline and plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) across US counties by accounting for regional differences due to marginal grid mix, ambient temperature, patterns of vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and driving conditions (city versus highway). We find that PEVs can have larger or smaller carbon footprints than gasoline vehicles, depending on these regional factors a…
Known unknowns: Indirect energy effects of information and communication technology
Background. There has been sustained and growing interest in characterizing the net energy impact of information and communication technology (ICT), which results from indirect effects offsetting (or amplifying) the energy directly consumed by ICT equipment. These indirect effects may be either positive or negative, and there is considerable disagreement as to the direction of this sign as well as the effect magnitude. Literature in this area ran…
China’s wind electricity and cost of carbon mitigation are more expensive than anticipated
The success of China's transition to a low-carbon energy system will be key to achieve the global level of emissions reductions needed to avoid large negative consequences from climate change. China is undergoing an impressive build up of renewable capacity, in particular wind. Using data from the Clean Mechanism Development project database between 2004 and 2012, this study shows that while China made progress in bringing down the levelized cost…
Was it worthwhile? Where have the benefits of rooftop solar photovoltaic generation exceeded the cost
We estimate the lifetime magnitude and distribution of the private and public benefits and costs of currently installed distributed solar PV systems in the United States. Using data for recently-installed systems, we estimate the balance of benefits and costs associated with installing a non-utility solar PV system today. We also study the geographical distribution of the various subsidies that are made available to owners of rooftop solar PV sys…
Induced seismicity hazard and risk by enhanced geothermal systems: An expert elicitation approach
Induced seismicity is a concern for multiple geoenergy applications, including low-carbon Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). We present results of an international expert elicitation (N=14) on EGS induced seismicity hazard and risk. Using a hypothetical scenario of an EGS plant and its geological context, we show that expert best-guess estimates of annualized exceedance probabilities of a M≥3 event range from 0.2% to 95% during reservoir stimulat…
An integrated approach for estimating greenhouse gas emissions from 100 U.S. metropolitan areas
Cities have become key players in climate change mitigation policy. To develop their climate policies, cities need good assessments of their current and future emissions. We use publically available national datasets to develop an integrated approach for estimating GHG emissions at the metropolitan level over time, between multiple locations, and across sectors. We estimate consistent production-based GHG emissions for the 100 most populated metr…
The effect of providing climate and health information on support for alternative electricity portfolios
Support for addressing climate change and air pollution may depend on the type of information provided to the public. We conduct a discrete choice survey assessing preferences for combinations of electricity generation portfolios, electricity bills, and emissions reductions. We test how participants' preferences change when emissions information is explicitly provided to them. We find that support for climate mitigation increases when mitigation …
Quantifying the capacity value of natural gas efficiency in New England
Net-zero emissions energy systems
Path to zero carbon emissions Models show that to avert dangerous levels of climate change, global carbon dioxide emissions must fall to zero later this century. Most of these emissions arise from energy use. Davis et al. review what it would take to achieve decarbonization of the energy system. Some parts of the energy system are particularly difficult to decarbonize, including aviation, long-distance transport, steel and cement production, and …
A sunny future: Expert elicitation of China's solar photovoltaic technologies
China has emerged as the global manufacturing center for solar photovoltaic (PV) products. Chinese firms have entered all stages of the supply chain, producing most of the installed solar modules around the world. Meanwhile, production costs are at record lows. The decisions that Chinese solar producers make today will influence the path for the solar industry and its role towards de-carbonization of global energy systems in the years to come. Ho…
The implications of scope and boundary choice on the establishment and success of metropolitan greenhouse gas reduction targets in the United States
In recent years, cities across the United States have devoted considerable attention and resources to developing greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories and climate action plans (CAPs). Using integrated metropolitan-level GHG estimates from publicly available national datasets, we explore the implications of inventory scope and boundary choices for 41 metropolitan areas across the United States. We quantify emissions from ‘under-reported’ activities (i.…
Decarbonizing intraregional freight systems with a focus on modal shift
Road freight transportation accounts for around 7% of total world energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. With the appropriate incentives, energy savings and emissions reductions can be achieved by shifting freight to rail or water modes, both of which are far more efficient than road. We briefly introduce five general strategies for decarbonizing freight transportation, and then focus on the literature and data relevant to estimating the global…
Assessing the evolution of power sector carbon intensity in the United States
In the United States, the electricity sector is a major focus for implementing policies to meet national, state, or local mandatory or voluntary CO _2 emissions reductions goals. Thus, it is important to have timely and available information on greenhouse gas emissions generated by the power sector to ensure that the policies implemented achieve intended emissions reductions. This work is the first to develop a transparent method to compute the e…
Expert assessments on the future of direct current in buildings
Increasing adoption of distributed generation, improving power electronics, and growing electronic loads in buildings have led researchers to propose increased use of direct current (DC) power distribution systems in buildings. As these systems have proven safe and reliable in other applications, they are now being considered for more widespread use in commercial and residential buildings. But nontechnical obstacles remain that have not been addr…
Solar PV as a mitigation strategy for the US education sector
Solar photovoltaic (PV) is an important strategy to de-carbonize the energy sector in the United States and to reduce the health, environmental, and climate change damages associated with the production of electricity from fossil fuel sources. While the potential for solar PV in the residential and commercial sectors has been widely studied, the potential in educational buildings is largely unknown. Educational institutions account for 11% of tot…
Quantifying the social equity state of an energy system: Environmental and labor market equity of the shale gas boom in Appalachia
A fundamental societal concern in energy system transitions is the distribution of benefits and costs across populations. A recent transition, the US shale gas boom, has dramatically altered the domestic energy outlook and global markets; however, the social equity implications have not been meaningfully assessed and accounted for in public and private decision making. In this study, we develop and demonstrate a systematic approach to quantify th…
Choice at the pump: Measuring preferences for lower-carbon combustion fuels
A decarbonized future will require a transition to lower carbon fuels for personal transportation. We study consumer preferences for combustion fuels including gasoline, diesel, natural gas, and E85 (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) using consumer choice survey data from two settings: online ( n = 331) and in-person at refueling stations ( n = 127). Light-duty vehicle owners were asked in a series of choice tasks to choose among fuels that varied in…
Global food system emissions could preclude achieving the 1.5° and 2°C climate change targets
Thought for food To have any hope of meeting the central goal of the Paris Agreement, which is to limit global warming to 2°C or less, our carbon emissions must be reduced considerably, including those coming from agriculture. Clark et al. show that even if fossil fuel emissions were eliminated immediately, emissions from the global food system alone would make it impossible to limit warming to 1.5°C and difficult even to realize the 2°C target. …
Regional and county flows of particulate matter damage in the US
Despite several decades of declining emissions, the health costs of particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) in the US remain substantial, with more than $1 trillion in annual damages. We analyze the inter-county impacts of PM 2.5 for 2008, 2011, and 2014 and find that even though emissions from point sources have fallen over this period, the share of PM 2.5 attributable to pollution transported across county and state boundaries is still considerable in man…
What are the best combinations of fuel-vehicle technologies to mitigate climate change and air pollution effects across the United States
The transportation sector is the largest contributor to CO 2 emissions and a major source of criteria air pollutants in the United States. The impact of climate change and that of air pollution differ in space and time, but spatially-explicit, systematic evaluations of the effectiveness of alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies in mitigating both climate change and air pollution are lacking. In this work, we estimate the life cycle m…
Economics (27 works) · Environmental Science (24 works) · Engineering (21 works) · Natural resource economics (20 works) · Business (18 works) · Electricity (16 works) · Energy, Environment, and Transportation Policies (13 works) · Greenhouse gas (13 works) · Electricity generation (11 works) · Waste management (11 works)