A carbon footprint analysis of renewable energy technology adoption in the modal substitution of high-speed rail for short-haul air travel in Australia

This study presents a carbon footprint analysis of renewable energy technology adoption in the modal substitution of high-speed rail for short-haul air travel in Australia. The carbon footprint analysis of renewable energy technology adoption in such modal substitution establishes the efficacy of various renewable energy technologies in assisting CO₂ emissions reduction on the Sydney–Melbourne city pair. Renewable energy technology efficacy, captured in the presented low-carbon pathways for high-speed transportation, provides an indication as to the CO₂ emissions reduction potential of the technologies under consideration and their impact upon the environmental performance of the air and high-speed rail modes. These low-carbon pathways displayed a reduction in annual CO₂ emissions throughout the longitudinal period ranging from moderate to significant. Furthermore, this study examines the cumulative effects of the considered renewable energy technologies upon the annual CO₂ emissions production of the high-speed transportation system. A reduction of 56%–69% in annual life cycle CO₂ emissions demonstrated the powerful mitigation potential of a combined air and high-speed rail transportation system in conjunction with renewable energy technologies adoption and a modal shift of 60%. Given this significant mitigation potential, the hybridization of the air and high-speed rail transportation systems with associated renewable energy technologies is considered. The effect of such hybridization would result in the formation of an integrated low-carbon, high-speed transportation system underpinned by the concept of “sustainable mobility” at the national level.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.1080/15568318.2017.1363331
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/15568318
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission of Taylor & Francis.
• Authors:
  • Robertson, Simon
• Publication Date: 2018-4

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 299-312
• Serial:
  • International Journal of Sustainable Transportation
  • Volume: 12
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Taylor & Francis
  • ISSN: 1556-8318
  • EISSN: 1556-8334
  • Serial URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ujst20

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aviation; Greenhouse gases; High speed rail; Life cycle analysis; Modal shift; Renewable energy sources; Short haul
• Uncontrolled Terms: Adoption models; Modal substitution
• Geographic Terms: Melbourne (Australia); Sydney (Australia)
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Energy; Planning and Forecasting; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01659837
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 12 2018 10:01AM