Harvesting the Economic and Climate Benefits of Clean Fuels

The document outlines the economic and environmental benefits of transitioning Oregon's transportation sector from petroleum to clean fuels, specifically electricity and biofuels. It highlights the cost-effectiveness of electric vehicles (EVs) and the state's potential to produce advanced biofuels from waste, residues, and energy crops. Central to this transition is the Clean Fuels Program, which aims for a 10 percent reduction in carbon emissions per unit of fuel by 2025 and aligns with regional policies in California and British Columbia to create a larger market for low-carbon alternatives.

• Transportation, specifically oil, is the primary source of fossil-fuel carbon pollution in Oregon, with drivers spending over $7 billion on gasoline and diesel in 2013.
• Electric vehicles (EVs) in Oregon are significantly cheaper to operate than gasoline vehicles; in 2014, the cost per 100 miles was $3.41 for an EV compared to $12.16 for a gasoline vehicle.
• EVs in Oregon have low upstream emissions because the state generates half of its electricity from hydropower and renewable resources like wind.
• Oregon has substantial potential for local biofuel production, including biomethane from landfills and wastewater treatment plants, which could equal 25 million gallons of diesel per year.
• The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality estimates that forest and agricultural residues could produce between 182 million and 282 million gallons of gasoline-equivalent biofuels annually by 2025.
• Hybrid poplar is identified as a sustainable biomass source; the state could produce over 200 million gallons of fuel per year from this resource.
• The Clean Fuels Program is a flexible policy requiring a 10 percent reduction in carbon emissions per unit of fuel by 2025, allowing various clean fuels to compete based on life cycle carbon benefits.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2015). Harvesting the Economic and Climate Benefits of Clean Fuels. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2015/10/Clean-Transportation-Fuels-for-Oregon.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Harvesting the Economic and Climate Benefits of Clean Fuels. 2015. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2015/10/Clean-Transportation-Fuels-for-Oregon.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Harvesting the Economic and Climate Benefits of Clean Fuels |date=October 2015 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2015/10/Clean-Transportation-Fuels-for-Oregon.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2015harvesting, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Harvesting the Economic and Climate Benefits of Clean Fuels}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2015}, month = oct, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2015/10/Clean-Transportation-Fuels-for-Oregon.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }