You are invited to attend a talk by Jonn Axsen entitled Electric vehicles: Matching low-carbon technology to people and policy.

For decades, the promise of electric-powered vehicles has inspired hope for a clean, low-carbon, petroleum-free transportation system. So where are these electric vehicles? Dr. Jonn Axsen draws from in-depth market and technical research to explore society’s readiness for such a transition — and outline the policies required to get there.

RSVP: sppa_events@carleton.ca 

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You are invited to attend a talk by Morteza Mesbah entitled Optimal NOx Control Policy Design Using an Advanced Atmospheric Modeling Tool.

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are the main precursors of ground-level ozone (main portion of smog) and regulated in the US through an emissions trading program for US power plants. The nature of the pollutant, however, affects the design of the program. NOx is a non-uniformly mixed pollutant since it has short atmospheric lifetime. The ozone formation potential of NOx emissions and their marginal health damages depend on a number of factors such as location, time of release, as well as chemical regime of the trajectory.  Given these potential spatial and temporal differences in health impacts, it is unknown whether the US emissions trading program have optimally reduced ozone concentrations. The paper addresses this shortcoming in traditional emissions trading systems and develops a methodology for identifying optimal NOx emission control strategies. A 2007 case study of 218 US power plants is used to examine the method. The results indicate that differentiating between emissions can significantly enhance environmental performance.

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This professional development opportunity addresses a need for competency in this area in Canada. Accurate measurement and evaluation is necessary to demonstrate value to the public. Stakeholders at all levels need to know whether their investments in programs or policies are yielding results.

Who should attend?

The course should appeal to professionals in an energy-related field and recent graduates who want to develop their expertise in emerging energy opportunities and program evaluation.

This course should also appeal to people who belong to professional associations (Architecture, Engineering, etc). Some or all of the course modules may be designated as professional development credits.

Click here to read the feedback from previous course participants.

What you will learn

Taught by Carleton research faculty and experts in the energy field, this intense course will provide practical knowledge in program evaluation through online pre-reading, and in-class instruction and practicums. Participants will learn to apply the logic model to low carbon energy programs, develop performance indicators, develop and evaluate outputs and outcomes, and learn through networking. A closing session on putting the learnings to use in the workplace will complete the course.

Program Dates and Location

May 13 – May 16, 2013

Ottawa, Ontario, venue TBD

Note: If the minimum enrolment of 20 participants is not met by April 26, 2013, the course will be cancelled. In the event of cancellation, participants who have already registered will be notified immediately and will receive a full refund.

For more information, please click this link http://carleton.ca/cserc/sec-activities-and-initiatives/professional-courses/professional-certificate-in-energy-programming-and-evaluation/

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International Defence Procurement: Opportunities and Challenges for Canadians

A talk with Joanne Lostracco, Manager, Strategic Policy and Government Relations Canadian Commercial Corporation

Joanne Lostracco is currently the Head of Strategic Policy, Government Relations and Communications at the Canadian Commercial Corporation, Canada’s international contracting agency. In this capacity, Ms. Lostracco advises senior management on key global defence policy issues, manages relations with other government departments in Canada and abroad, and develops the Corporate Plan which lays out the long-term strategic direction of the Corporation.

Ms. Lostracco has undertaken a number of responsibilities both within the Canadian government and abroad. Her most recent positions include: Senior Trade Policy Advisor at the Department of Foreign Aairs and International Trade Canada, Lecturer in International Trade Policy to MBA students at Gothenburg University in Sweden, and Senior Cabinet Liaison at the Department of Foreign Aairs and International Trade Canada. Ms. Lostracco holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Business from the University of Waterloo and a Master of Arts degree in International Relations (with a focus on the Canadian Military) from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada.

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Extra-jurisdictional Regulation: Do Regulations in One Location Affect Behaviour in Other?

It is well documented that firms respond to regulations in their home jurisdictions. This talk hypothesizes that firms also respond to regulations in jurisdictions where they do not operate. Adam will examine renewable-power provision in the U.S. electrical utility sector between 2001 and 2006, and finds firms adopt more renewable-power generation when their peers (i.e., firms in the same regulatory jurisdiction) face greater renewable-power standards in other jurisdictions. The underlying mechanism is that forward-looking firms assess when extra-jurisdictional regulations foreshadow regulatory changes where they operate. The analyses support this mechanism versus plausible alternatives. The research demonstrates that firms act strategically to respond to extra-jurisdictional regulations and shows that the central conduit motivating this response is the extra-jurisdictional footprint of firms operating in the same jurisdiction as a focal firm.

Adam Fremeth

Adam Fremeth joined the Business Economics and Public Policy group at Ivey Business School in July 2009 after completing his Ph.D. in Strategic Management and Organization at the University of Minnesota. He holds an HBA from Ivey and an M.A. in International Affairs from Carleton University. Professor Fremeth’s research focuses on the intersection of firm strategy and public policy making. He is primarily concerned with how firms both shape and respond to public policy. In particular, his work has helped to better understand how competitive interaction among firms in regulated settings can influence a firm’s environmental performance. Ongoing research projects focus on the development of the renewable energy sector in North America, the value of asymmetrical information in regulatory rulings in the electric utility sector, and the patterns of personal campaign contributions by Chief Executive Officers.

Thursday, February 28, 2013 – 3:30 to 5:00 pm
River Building 5208, Carleton University
RSVP: www.ie.uottawa.ca/speakerseries

It is widely considered that the continued development and production of Alberta’s oil sands deposits is on track to be the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Canada over the next few decades. As recent developments suggest, failure to address the issue of GHG emissions growth might jeopardize the potential for sustained expansion of oil sands operations in Alberta. With this in mind, a computer simulation model of a steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) oil sands production facility is used to investigate the financial incentives provided by the introduction of a per-unit levy on CO2 emissions – a carbon tax – to SAGD producers to reduce production-related GHG emissions. Results are obtained for a range of carbon tax rates and crude oil prices. Special attention is paid to the interactions between the carbon tax and the provisions of the royalty and tax regime applicable to oil sands development and production activities in Alberta.

Biography of Speaker:

André Plourde is the Dean of the Faculty of Public Affairs and a Professor in the Department of Economics at Carleton University. He joined Carleton in July 2011 after more than a decade at the University of Alberta. Dean Plourde has also held academic positions at the University of Toronto and University of Ottawa, and government posts in Natural Resources Canada and the Department of Finance. He has served on numerous advisory committees, including the Province of Alberta’s Royalty Review Panel and the Royal Society of Canada’s expert panel on the environmental and health impacts of Canada’s oil sands industry. His research interests have centered mainly on energy economics and on Canadian energy and environmental policy issues.

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