Jonathan Hughes
Graduate Student Researcher
jehughes@ucdavis.edu
Office Phone: (530) 754-4408

Summary

Jonathan's interests include transportation, energy and the environment.  Specifically, he is interested in the role of market-based policies in addressing environmental externalities such as global climate change that result from society's use of energy.  He has a background in mechanical engineering (BSE, Duke University, 2000) and materials science (MSE, Cornell University, 2003) and is pursuing a Ph.D. in the Transportation Technology and Policy program.

Research Interests

Evaluation of Market-Based Policies for the Control of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The goal is to determine how policy may affect the development of alternative fuels based transportation systems.  In the case of addressing the challenge of global climate, a large number of policies have been proposed including: emissions standards, carbon taxes, vehicle technology mandates, feebates, fuel economy standards, marketable emission licenses and fuel composition standards.  This project will evaluate specific policy proposals and will analyze the potential impacts on the development of new transportation technologies.

Climate Change Policy Journal Club

Social Welfare Effects of Greenhouse Gas Regulation in Transportation

This project will assess the quantitative impacts of economic policies such as a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS), CO₂ emission trading systems, carbon taxes and emission standards on social welfare as measured by social surplus.  Specifically, the goal is to determine how policies that regulate vehicles, fuels or vehicles and fuels together will affect the welfare of vehicle makers, fuel producers and consumers. Draft Research Plan

Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) or Corporate Average Fuel Index (CAFI)

It has been suggested that a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) or "corporate average fuel index" (CAFI) would foster the development of low carbon alternate fuels.  In a CAFI system, the carbon content of transportation fuels is quantified and fuel sales are subject to an average performance standard.  A system including averaging, banking and trading of CAFI credits would provide fuel producers with increased flexibility in meeting the standard.  The project will assess the properties of the CAFI system relative to other policy alternatives and will analyze the potential impact of such a system on the development of new transportation technologies.

Changing Demand in Gasoline Markets

Given recent interest in decreasing U.S. gasoline consumption and transportation related greenhouse gas emissions, there is a renewed interest in price-based policies such as gasoline or carbon taxes.  A key factor in developing these types of policies is understanding the responsiveness of consumers to changes in gasoline price.  This research investigates whether gasoline price elasticites have changed over the past 30 years.  An initial study of short-run behavior suggests that, consumers today as less responsive to changes in gasoline price than during the 1970's and 1980's.

Conference, Technical and Workshop Reports

Publications

Hughes, J.E., Marketable Emission Permits and Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles: Opportunities and Challenges for Greenhouse Gas Reduction,  World Resource Review, 17, 196-219, 2005.

Working Papers

Evidence of a Shift in the Short-Run Price Elasticity of Gasoline Demand

Vehicle versus Fuel Regulation in Policies to Control CO₂ Emissions from Light-Duty Vehicles

A Corporate Average Fuel Index for Reducing CO₂ Emissions from Light-Duty Vehicles

Presentations

Hughes, J.E., Evidence of a Shift in the Short-Run Price Elasticity of Gasoline Demand, Presented to: The University of California Energy Institute (UCEI), in Berkeley, CA, October 6, 2006.

Hughes, J.E., Marketable Emission Permits and Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles: Opportunities and Challenges for Greenhouse Gas Reduction, Presented to: the 16th Global Warming International Conference (GWIC), in New York, NY, April 19-21, 2005.

Hughes, J.E., California Leadership in Sustainable Transportation, Presented to: International Forum on Urban Mobility and Advanced Transportation, Mont Tremblant, Quebec, September 16, 2004.

Hughes, J.E., Hydrogen Pathways: Future prospects for hydrogen vehicles, fueling stations
and hydrogen production facilities, Presented to: Ninth Fire Risk and Hazard Research Application
Symposium, Annapolis, MD, June 24, 2004.

Hughes, J.E., Fuel Cell Vehicles and the Hydrogen Highway, Presented to: Government Technology Conference, GTC-West, Sacramento, CA, May 13, 2004.

Press

"Drivers Shrug as Gasoline Prices Soar," New York Times, March 30, 2007.
"Who Cares About the Price of Gas," New York Times, January 15, 2007.
"Gas Prices Hardly Affect Demand," San Francisco Chronicle, December 1, 2006.

Researcher Resources

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